Second host family

I am completing my third week with my second host family. They live in Penticton, in West Bench. I have a host dad, his name is Cal, short for Calvin, he is Rotarian and he is an architect. My host mom is named Jacinta, she does some out works, but her main work is teaching her own son and daughter, because they do home school. My host sister is Caitlin, she is 17 and she is in grade 11. And, finally, my host brother is 14 and he is in grade 9. They are a vegetarian family, and I am not, what is more, I am definitely a meat lover. But, sometimes when they make food, they add in my dish some meatballs or they but jam to make sandwiches for the lunch. They are really nice, and the food is not actually a problem. I am glad of being with them...

Thanks

Sometimes a person doesn't realize how important are the other people when they are all the time around you, even living with you. That is what I've learned in the last 3 or 4 months. Last September 9th, when I woke up, I opened my eyes and in that moment was when I realized that I was not at home anymore. My family and my friends were not with me anymore to help me or to listen to me when I was in trouble. There I started to feel that I had to trust in new people, that everything was gonna be alright. Time was running faster and faster, so fast that I did not have time to think in the wonderful family I was living with. Almost 4 months passed and I was moving again to a new host family to learn all about the meaning of different ways of living, even ways to eat. There was when I realized again how much the last host family meant to me. I learned a lot from them. I will never forget all the things that they taught me and I pretty sure that I will never forget thing like, DON'T EAT CATS, ARE BAD FOR YOU, or, EATTTT, or PANCHH, POTATO, PUMA, LECHUGA or teaching words in spanish. I enjoyed a lot going to ski with Smythe family, I am so bad at that but they were always there to help me or to give me the skies when they went away... or Vancouver's trip, that was so much fun. I have to say thanks to Bill and Mona too, they helped me with my english every moment and they trusted in me every moment too, also, they taught me about the life. The only thing I have to say is THANK YOU SO MUCH, I appreciate all that you did for me.
Now I think I have to trust again in new people, everything is going to be just fine...

My seventeenth birthday

This year, on January 9th, was my seventeenth birthday. I had a good time. Some friends came over, we played some games, ate some chocolate cake, which by the way is my favourite, pizza with chips and coke. Lots of people that I love called me, and that was really nice. I have to say that I was a little bit upset because my family had not sent me anything, but after some days, I received a present from them, it was late, but it was the best present ever. They sent me lot of stuff like magazines, or letters from different people, pictures, but the most important was a video that they had recorded. Everybody were talking to me; all my family, my grandparents, my cousins, and more people I love, wishing me the best. And at one point, my mom and my aunt were dancing and singing songs. By the way, they were dressing up, it was so funny, and I know that my mother selected the songs very well because that songs have an special meaning for me, they remind me of different moments in my life. That video made me cry a lot. The fact that every time I watch it, it makes me cry is because everybody is telling me that they are proud of me. I think that, that is the best thing that they can tell me...

Friends

The first day at school I was alone because I did not know anybody more that my host sister, Kirsten(16). I was with Mrs. Hunter, she is the ESL teacher, she was helping me. I didn't know what to do. I remember that I was in English class and the teacher told the students that a new student from Argentina was arriving. There was another Rotary Student, named Devu, short for Devanshi. I didn't talk with her at all. That weekend, all the Rotary Exchange Student met in Penticton for an Orientation. There, I knew all the student that then they became my friends. Devu became a really good friend of mine, now, we are always together. Also, I have school friend which make me have a really good time at school hours; and exchange student's friends from everywhere around the world. That is awesome, I had always dreamed in having friends from lots of countries around the world, but now I may say is not a dream anymore.

My first months in Canada

My first months in Canada were awesome. I arrived here on September 8th. Ben, Crystal and part of my first host family were in the airport waiting for me. At first it was difficult, people did not understand me when I was talking, nor I did. Months were running and running so fast. The relationship I was having with my host family, especially with my host sisters, was better and better everyday. We went for walks together, even if the temperature was really low (at least very low for me) or even snowing. We had a really good time. We went to Vancouver city and we went to do skiing and snowboarding. Christmas was really good. In Christmas Eve I went to have dinner with Ben and his family, which it was fun. The next morning, I was sleeping when Mia and Joelle (12 and 14) went to my bedroom to wake me up to open the presents up. The tree was full with presents. I received lot of stuff, like speakers for my i-pod or a hockey jersey with my last name in the back.
Time was running a little bit more and I had to switch host families. On January 3rd I switched my host family. My second host family is nice. I have lots of thing to learn from them.