Feels like Home

When there's nearly 5000 miles and an ocean between you and home, it's not always easy to feel at home.  Add in a few days of not feeling too whoopee and all this talk about the beauty of the wheat turning gold back in Colorado.....


Photo by Whitney McCaffrey

 ....and you might even get a bit homesick.

When you're abroad, homesickness and culture adjustments often come in waves.  Although I'm loving all the things I've been able to do and see, I feel like I'm on one of those waves at the moment.

Last week however, I was with my Bealey Family, a family that truly touched my heart to the core. 

 

While each of my host families have been absolutely wonderful, this family reminded me so much of my own, that it felt like coming home.

 

Having grown up with three sisters, living in a house full of girls took almost no adjustment.  Add in a talented, crafty mum with a heart full of love for her children and everyone else's and a dad who could fix anything with a few parts from the workshop, and it sounds just like the farm I grew up on.

 

They also went above and beyond to make me feel at home, though.

 

On the 4th of July, the American Independence day, they stealthily planned a firework show in the backyard to help me celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence (from Britain) in 1776.

 

 

 

 



 

Smoke and fire aside, this act of bringing home to me signaled just how much they appreciated where I came from and wanted me to feel at home in this country, and in their home.

I'm sure they will be searching for the dishes I unloaded into the cupboards for days as this is a hazard of letting a visitor help out around the house.  And I know that taking the time to show me how to use the knapsack herbicide was less efficient than going on without me, but still, allowing me to be part of their daily routine allowed me to be part of the family and more than just a visitor staying in a room upstairs. 

So to the Bealeys, and all of my past, present and future host families, thank you.  Opening your home up to a stranger can be scary and inconvenient, but as I've learned from both sides of the door, it is truly rewarding and builds life long friendships around the globe.

(P.s. Here's one of my favorite songs on the radio at the moment.)