I enjoyed and learned a whole lot from my year. A lot of credit goes to my sweet host family who accepted me as a member of their family. They not only opened their doors for me but also their hearts. It was them who made me feel at home most of the times.

 

It was the month of December which left a huge impact on me. The biggest celebration of the U.S. was about to happen. I was very excited. I simply miss those moments of decorating the Christmas tree. Being a Muslim, I have always heard about it but this was the time to get the first-hand experience. I love the stories of Santa Claus. So after all comes the Christmas eve. The whole month of December was filled with watching movies. So, it comes the Christmas morning. There were bulks of presents for everyone. We had a nice memorable day creating a long term memory.

     

I went on a ski trip with my exchange buddies. That was one of the time I had the most fun ever. I went to Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. This person who has never seen snow has been dropped into the deep snow to ski. I along with some other friends took the beginner lessons. That was the turning point which gave us such a confidence that took us from easy to medium trails in just two days. We enjoyed every bit of it. And now is the situation that I really love skiing. I learnt that determination can lead your way in paths you have never been before. Courage and willingness have always played and paid their role in the lives of acceptable peoples. That’s what kept me going. I admire that trip to be one of the best presents from my host family at the Christmas.

 

Open mindedness and being acceptable and adaptable brought me here in the U.S. from thousands of miles away. I love my host family. People are amiable here. There are a lot of similarities and differences. That is what appreciating diversity in a culture totally different from yours.

 

Photo courtesy Kamran Farooqi: Kamran and his host family at holiday time

 

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