At the end of August, we welcomed into our home an exchange student from Brazil. She was having a hard time adjusting. I realized this and did everything I could think of to help her along. I thought things were going along pretty well. After dropping her off at school on Monday, I was thinking of some of the things I could do with her this week, and I was determined to look up a Brazilian recipe and try to cook something that she would like.
Monday evening, we were expecting the local representative for the program to come to our house and give us some orientation. Instead, she came to our home, told us that our student was unhappy and wanted to leave our home.
CRASH!
What? One moment we were talking about school and soccer like normal and the next moment we are told that she doesn't want to stay with us any longer? (It's because we had rules about her curfew and she didn't like that.)
I was hurt. I was personally attacked. They phrased it to us like, "You guys have been great, but you are very different from what she is use to at home and she has requested to be moved to another family." Let me tell you, I felt like someone had just slugged me in the stomach.
She left yesterday evening. I spent yesterday (Tuesday) very hurt. By evening, I was over the hurt and I was angry. Today, has been better. I've been able to think about things more clearly and realize that my hurt and anger were well founded. What the local rep. and our student did to us was completely out of line. My husband and I had no idea this was going to happen. The rep should have worked with us. She should have said, your student is having these issues, lets decided what we can do to help her. Her job was to help us work through problems and instead, she created a lot more.
I could go on and on and if you really want to hear the entire story, just ask, but be prepared, it's a long, crazy story.
So, we are back to our regular family again. The Hubby has already suggested that we consider getting another student. I said NO THANK YOU! I'm not doing that again.
OK, I've gotten this off my chest. Thanks for letting me rant a bit. You can go back to your lives citizens.
4 comments:
oh man that just happened to a family in our ward. not for me for sure there would be so many things that would cause stress for me
I'm sad for you, but you get some of your time back, so there is some good right?
That misconstrues what I said. I don't think it is a good time for another exchange student. My kind and lovely wife has been through a lot, and has a lot of school and other things to focus on. -Hubby
Goodness!! I've been out of the loop, sorry!! I am so sorry!! I hope you're feeling better.
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