This summer for two and a half weeks I had an opportunity to
co-host two Chinese students with my neighbor.
It’s a great experience for the students and host families.
On a Thursday evening, we went to Endicott College to pick
up our boys. We saw many families there
expecting Chinese students. It was a
friendly and exciting atmosphere. My
son was eagerly waiting for the students’ arrival. Then two Peter Pan buses came and we saw Chinese
students coming off the buses group by group. Which ones were our boys? All we had seen before were two profiles of
the two young Chinese boys ages 11 & 12. There were girls and boys, ages 11 to
18. I kept my eyes on the younger boys
in the crowds. I spotted a boy wearing a
T shirt printed with a Rubik’s cube holding a purple suitcase handle. I stepped over and asked his name. Yes, I got one of our boys. Through him, we found the other boy. They
called themselves David and Jerry. With
excitement, we loaded their suitcases and had them get into the car. As we drove out of the parking lot, my
co-hostess said to the students: “Please put on your seatbelts!” The boys followed the instruction. I noticed they didn’t do it automatically
like my son did. Okay, they were fresh from
China!
We had a welcome party in my neighbors’ backyard. My older son grilled hamburgers. It’s what they expected as typical American food. David liked the cheeseburger; Jerry didn’t
like the cheese. Before they settled for
the night, David asked, “How do we get to school tomorrow morning?” Then he emphasized, “It is very important.” I was impressed by their serious attitude towards
study.
Yes, the next morning they got up at 6:30 am, had breakfast,
and went to school.
This was their English immersion program. They took classes and went on field trips,
including to NYC. They lived with
American families and experienced everyday life.
My own two boys had time to play with them, have dinner
together every night, watch the Olympic Games together, share computer games, play
ball in the backyard, and swim at the Y.
For two weeks, the boys lived as part of our family. We went shopping together. We took them to a baseball game, watched my younger
son’s basketball games and Martial Arts practice. We went to church and watched my older son
play piano at the Sunday service. They
also met and played with other American children in our house.
Over the last weekend, we celebrated David’s 12th
birthday. He had his mother on his iPhone
watching our celebration. With his iPhone,
he was showing my house to his mother in China and I was able to see his mother
and father and talk to them. It was
quite an amazing experience. The world
is connected more closely than ever before.
Before they left, Jerry gave me some fine white tea from his
hometown and showed me how to make the tea properly. David gave my boys some unusual Rubik’s cubes
which they took to immediately.
After they left, Jerry called me via video phone from Toronto
airport and I saw him and David there.
Jerry called me again after he got home.
Through the video phone he showed me his apartment and a room for my
younger son to stay in when he visits China someday. I got to see his Mom and Dad as well. David has also emailed me and said he enjoyed
the trip very much and he had taken on a new hobby: playing Lego after seeing all the Lego sets
built by my older son in our house.
It was very sweet. I
know that I have two boys attached to me in China now.
Quotes of the Chinese students:
Jerry: My favorite American food is Hot Dogs.
David: Shanghai is quieter than New York.
