My Host Family

I´d always liked the idea of living with a host family abroad. I think it is such a beautiful thing that a family could open up their home, their lives, to accept a total stranger and look after them like a son or daughter. When I came to Brazil I knew I wanted to live with a family - that way I could practice my Portuguese every day, eat typical food and learnt to live like a Brazilian. I was over the moon when I heard I had been allocated a family, and started to get to know my host brother, Rafael, straight away.

The best news was he was very excited to have me. He told me online while I was still back in England that he had already prepared my room that I had internet (hurrah!). It seemed like an eternity before we actually met in person, but as he drove me home, we had no trouble chatting away, and I knew we were going to be good friends. He is only  year younger than me, and studies Advertising at Uni. He likes football, rock music and raves... the latter may not be to my taste but the other two make for good conversation! He just took his first trip out of Brazil, so has been bitten by the travelling bug - so we have something else in common.

Rafael lives with his Mum, Fátima, who was apparently very worried about what she would feed me (What do English people eat! She won´t like what we have!). She was so eager to meet me the morning after I arrived (she was asleep when we got in the previous night) that she burst into my room at 7am ´Where is this girl! I´m dying to meet her!!´ I knew that I would love her from that moment on!

His Dad Luís is super laid back - he works in another city, so only stays now and again. This means that my Host Mum is actually very glad of some extra company on weeknights when Rafael is studying. Sometimes I come home from school and collapse into the armchair beside her, and we chat away until 10pm without even realising. She´s interested in everything, how things are in England and what I think about this that and the other. She thinks its funny that I eat ceral for breakfast and that I put jam on my tapioca. I think its funny that Rafael sleeps in a hammock and doesn´t know how to use the washing machine!!!! But there you go - culture exchange is what we all signed up for.

When Rafael´s Dad is around I like to do a little something all together - the first weekend I made an apple crumble and custard! I think they liked it... it was a bit too sugary due to a lack of scales so I guessed the quantities (its part of my new carefree, Brazilian attitude). They certainly had a lot of fun with the idea there was an English girl in their house making dessert.

The next time I bought a bottle of Argentinian wine... I absolutely love red wine and am really missing it here... Brazilian wine is very bitter and dry. I wondered if they would like what I chose - but it was gone within half an hour. Everyone was suitably jolly, discussing the monarchy and government in England... next time I´ll buy two.

I almost forgot the most annoying member of the family - Zeek, the dog. A Brazilian home is apparently not complete without one! When I arrived for the first time Rafael asked guiltily 'You don't like animals do you?". But luckily he´s only a tiny Yorkshire Terrier, that deep down just wants to be loved - that´s why he barks like a maniac when you leave the house (not ideal at 6am on my day off) and follows you around when you get home, licking your feet. I just have to make sure I keep my bedroom door firmly shut - or he is sure to wee on my bed.

Although nothing can compare to your own family (am missing you a lot people, and think of you all the time) living with a host family has to be the next best thing. I´ve got people to look out for me, to keep me company, to worry about what I eat and where I go! It´s comforting, to belong somewhere, and know that whatever I need, they´ll help me. It´s a debt that is unable to be paid... I just have to hope they will come to England some day.