Short but sweet!

3 days/2 nights is definitely a very short period of time to truly experience the American lifestyle, nevertheless it was an enduring memory in my life.  As part of my 6 weeks stay in the United States for Global Environmental Leadership program, I was fortunate to undergo a home stay program.Stanley (a fellow friend from Myanmar) and I were placed with the Ashtons’!

Let me introduce my host family to you guys.

This is my foster dad, we call him Bob. He is a retired navy officer, but he look too young to retire right?  Bob is strict, more like a disciplinarian but you can talk about anything under the sun to him because he is a very knowledgeable person.  Growing up with a single mother for the past 13 years, I felt I would have been a better person if I had a father like him, who would guide and take good care of me. And to spank me when required!  (I am such a spoiled kid actually) :p Thanks for everything  Bob!

She is Amy, our host mom. She is a super energetic cool lady! She is very environmental friendly, she tries to grow her own food, segregate the house waste and helps with recycling project  in her daughters high school! She keeps the house very neat and clean. She is also a good cook! ( very much like my Amma in Malaysia) She is vegetarian friendly, and i love it.  Miss you Amy...Aawwww.

Bob and Amy have been married for 28 years with 3 daughters, Kelly, Molly and Ehma. Their grandchildren Zyler ( 3 years) is so cute! Oh ya, I forget to mention that they have dogs, Koa and Kiki which they take care and love like their own kids!

Stanley and I had a wonderful time at their place, in fact we behaved like we stayed in our own houses. Imagine staying in a strangers house but you wake up so late and make your own breakfast(basically eating everything in the fridge), and decide whether to go online or sight-seeing! Just because they said " make yourself home.

Bon and Amy took good care of us throughout our stay at their house; they took us hiking to Lanikai Mount, sight-seeing to Lanikai beach and drive around the North Shore of O’ahu Hawaii.

I wish that time and distance won’t be a hindrance for us to keep in touch. Once again, thank you so much to Bob and Amy for opening their doors to complete strangers like us.

Through this home stay program I have learned some of the American Culture and remind myself that there is always a greater satisfaction in giving compared to receiving!