Background
As an exchange student, I live in a homestay family during this seminar. Therefore, I have two younger brothers and a younger sister now! The eldest's name is Andrew (14 years old). He is good at hockey and guitar. The second boy is Alexander (11 years old). He has a good command of PC games and drums. Actually, he and Andrew are members of a band. It is said that when they are playing guitar and drums, they will become crazy. ^0^ Amanda is the youngest among all. She is a 7-year-old pretty girl. She is the mini copy of her mother Susan, who is both beautiful and energetic. Susan has a proverb, that is, women should be fighters!! Oh, my homestay father is Pat. He is a very strong and cool principal. That's why I once asked him when he would show his kindness. His answer was he never showed it at school. ^_^
Story begins
1. July 3rd
On Wednesday, when watching TV with me, Amanda mentioned that the family would hold a birthday party for Alexander in the evening of Saturday. Then I bore it in mind. As a member of family, I decided to give Alexander a surprise. However, since I came here only two days ago, I wasn’t quite familiar with him. What kind of thing does an 11-year-old boy like? And I didn’t know where I could buy a gift.
2. July 4th
When I came back from school, I saw Alexander playing PC games. This scene inspired me. Maybe I could send him a PC game. But which game does he like? Considering I wasn’t an expert in this field and two boys hadn’t had a word with me at that time, I asked Amanda to inquiry Alexander. Amanda promised and she thought it would be a nice present because her brother had made a one-hour-ride to buy a game before.
Listening that, I felt a relief. After all, the direction is right-Alexander likes PC games. On the other hand, where to buy it became a new problem to me. Amanda didn’t remember the specific name. I thought I could go to my new classmates for help.
3. July 5th
At school, I told everything to Fiona and asked for her advice. She eagerly recommended Eaton Centre to me. What a coincidence, she wanted to buy some books in Indigo, a shop located in Eaton Centre. Thereby, I made a sudden decision to go with her.
After school, we took the bus No.196 in York University and took off at the terminal. And then, we went to the southbound subway and took of at the Dundas.
Here it was!! Fiona showed me around the shopping mall. Soon I found a shop named EB games. I was extremely excited as if I were on birthday. ^_^ I remembered the location deeply. Oh, everything was OK now, except Amanda hadn’t told me what her brother’s favorite game was. In another word, I had to go here again the next day. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter. Harboring a good mood, I accompanied Fiona shopping.
Since my homestay family begins dinner at around 19:00 and the bus No.107C and No. 107F, either can reach my home, aren’t available after 19:00, I had to leave early. Fiona wasn’t familiar the route I went back. She suggested me return according to the previous way that is going to York first and then taking another bus home. This plan would take me a lot of time and made me feel lonely and a little worried inasmuch as that I couldn’t guarantee I kept all in mind and I had to go home alone.
To my surprise, the subsequent journey was very smooth. Not only did I found the subway successfully, but I even caught the 107C bus directly from the subway. In other words, I needn’t transmit to York University. It saved me a great amount of time.
At spare time playing climbing with Amanda, I asked her about the name of PC games again. She said her brother “didn’t care”. I guessed he would like any kind of PC games.
I wanted to accomplish my goal. Thinking of this idea, I had a sound sleep.
4. July 6th
I left home at around 8:00 in the morning and arrived at the Eaton Centre at 9:30. It was exactly the opening time that the mall starts on Saturday. I was very glad that I didn't get up too early. ^_^
I found the EB games shop. Astonishingly, I saw many adults there! Do adults have the same incline as an 11-year-old boy? En, maybe. I asked a handsome guy for help. He was very enthusiastic and showed me around here and there. We made the decision together. Finally, it was a game about shooting. Boys really like it, don’t they? They have a tendency to be heroes. ^_^
As an exchange student, I live in a homestay family during this seminar. Therefore, I have two younger brothers and a younger sister now! The eldest's name is Andrew (14 years old). He is good at hockey and guitar. The second boy is Alexander (11 years old). He has a good command of PC games and drums. Actually, he and Andrew are members of a band. It is said that when they are playing guitar and drums, they will become crazy. ^0^ Amanda is the youngest among all. She is a 7-year-old pretty girl. She is the mini copy of her mother Susan, who is both beautiful and energetic. Susan has a proverb, that is, women should be fighters!! Oh, my homestay father is Pat. He is a very strong and cool principal. That's why I once asked him when he would show his kindness. His answer was he never showed it at school. ^_^
Story begins
1. July 3rd
On Wednesday, when watching TV with me, Amanda mentioned that the family would hold a birthday party for Alexander in the evening of Saturday. Then I bore it in mind. As a member of family, I decided to give Alexander a surprise. However, since I came here only two days ago, I wasn’t quite familiar with him. What kind of thing does an 11-year-old boy like? And I didn’t know where I could buy a gift.
2. July 4th
When I came back from school, I saw Alexander playing PC games. This scene inspired me. Maybe I could send him a PC game. But which game does he like? Considering I wasn’t an expert in this field and two boys hadn’t had a word with me at that time, I asked Amanda to inquiry Alexander. Amanda promised and she thought it would be a nice present because her brother had made a one-hour-ride to buy a game before.
Listening that, I felt a relief. After all, the direction is right-Alexander likes PC games. On the other hand, where to buy it became a new problem to me. Amanda didn’t remember the specific name. I thought I could go to my new classmates for help.
3. July 5th
At school, I told everything to Fiona and asked for her advice. She eagerly recommended Eaton Centre to me. What a coincidence, she wanted to buy some books in Indigo, a shop located in Eaton Centre. Thereby, I made a sudden decision to go with her.
After school, we took the bus No.196 in York University and took off at the terminal. And then, we went to the southbound subway and took of at the Dundas.
Here it was!! Fiona showed me around the shopping mall. Soon I found a shop named EB games. I was extremely excited as if I were on birthday. ^_^ I remembered the location deeply. Oh, everything was OK now, except Amanda hadn’t told me what her brother’s favorite game was. In another word, I had to go here again the next day. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter. Harboring a good mood, I accompanied Fiona shopping.
Since my homestay family begins dinner at around 19:00 and the bus No.107C and No. 107F, either can reach my home, aren’t available after 19:00, I had to leave early. Fiona wasn’t familiar the route I went back. She suggested me return according to the previous way that is going to York first and then taking another bus home. This plan would take me a lot of time and made me feel lonely and a little worried inasmuch as that I couldn’t guarantee I kept all in mind and I had to go home alone.
To my surprise, the subsequent journey was very smooth. Not only did I found the subway successfully, but I even caught the 107C bus directly from the subway. In other words, I needn’t transmit to York University. It saved me a great amount of time.
At spare time playing climbing with Amanda, I asked her about the name of PC games again. She said her brother “didn’t care”. I guessed he would like any kind of PC games.
I wanted to accomplish my goal. Thinking of this idea, I had a sound sleep.
4. July 6th
I left home at around 8:00 in the morning and arrived at the Eaton Centre at 9:30. It was exactly the opening time that the mall starts on Saturday. I was very glad that I didn't get up too early. ^_^
I found the EB games shop. Astonishingly, I saw many adults there! Do adults have the same incline as an 11-year-old boy? En, maybe. I asked a handsome guy for help. He was very enthusiastic and showed me around here and there. We made the decision together. Finally, it was a game about shooting. Boys really like it, don’t they? They have a tendency to be heroes. ^_^
On my way home, I imagined what Alexander would say when receiving this gift beyond exception. A word of “Thanks” was enough, I thought.
Just now, I gave him the present at the birthday party. Do you know what he said? He smiled to me and said “Thank you, PUMA” and then opened it immediately and began to play it with Andrew, leaving the money others gave him alone.
Oh, sweet boy, this was the first talk between you and me. And I thought our conversations would be more and more. Anyway, happy birthday!!! Be cooler, brighter and more considerate to your mother!!
P.S. Is twelve a big year? Can cash be a gift? My God, you can’t imagine how much money Alexander received today. They are enough for him to open a bank account! If I know this western custom earlier, perhaps I would change my mind. ^0^ After all, it was more convenient and direct. And do Chinese seem so conserved that they choose to buy a gift instead of money? I will insist it is a token of my regards.
1 comment:
It sounds like you have a wonderful homestay family. I don't actually know what would be considered the usual custom for presents, for kids of certain ages. For one thing, my daughter is only 14 months old, and she and her friends don't talk much (yet); for another thing, many of our friends come from different countries (Mexico, Peru, Chile, Serbia, Canada, England, Germany) and they all have different customs. We are always surprising each other in something like the way you describe!
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