Blog Post 3

My homestay experience had a very positive impact on my experience in Zambia so far. Lizetta and I were welcomed into our home with open arms. The first day, our host mom, Auntie Martha, introduced us to the people on our street and from then on, we would greet them whenever we would pass by. She was patient with teaching us the minibuses. Although it was difficult taking 6 minibuses a day getting to and from my NGO, I am proud I did it. I met a lot of interesting people on the minibus that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Auntie Martha also always cared about our safety. One incident stands out. Lizetta was late coming home one evening from work and there was some confusion on how far away she was. Auntie Martha was worried and ran out to get her off the minibus because she wanted to make sure she was safe. She didn’t want her walking home in the dark alone. That incident really demonstrated how much she cared about us.

            We would have great conversations with Auntie Martha when we would come home from a long day. She would tell us about her travel experiences around the world. She visited so many diverse places and had great stories from each of them. We would talk about what age we expected to get married. I thought this was fun because I had never been asked this before or thought about it. We laughed while watching Say Yes to the Dress. Auntie Martha would comment on how there are so many things to cry about and a dress shouldn’t be one of them. That made Lizetta and I laugh every time.

            At the end of our stay with Auntie Martha, Lizetta and I wanted to give back to her some of the kindness she gave us. We made her a nice meal of pasta and garlic bread for her. We both enjoyed cooking it even when half of the battle was turning the oven on. The food was delicious too which was a plus. We also got her a cake from Linda’s and Libby’s host mom. I will never forget her face when we gave her the cake. It was pure joy.

Overall, I had a great experience at my homestay. I am grateful that I was welcomed in with open arms and felt like I belonged. My greatest takeaway will be the kindness and patience I experienced while living with Auntie Martha. This is something that will follow me throughout the program and when I leave Zambia.