Last March, my family was offered the opportunity to host an international student for the first time. I distinctly remember waiting nervously to meet my exchange student, the boy who we would be hosting for two weeks. I hoped that we would be able to communicate, that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself (at least not on the first day), and that he would never get bored in Boise. As it turns out, I didn’t need to worry too much. The boy who was staying with me, Geraldo, turned out to be wonderful. We had a blast, sharing stories of life in Brazil and in Boise, two seemingly opposite extremes that ended up having more in common than I would have expected. I took him to see snow for the first time, introduced him to many new foods, and together we spent an afternoon running ourselves ragged at the Bruneau sand dunes. It was great to show him some of my favorite parts of Boise, and to teach him all about life in America.

But to be honest, I think in the end I might have been the one who learned the most from him. I learned that a language barrier doesn’t matter that much, because everyone can learn to speak compassion. I also learned that putting salt on avocados is something most Brazilians would laugh out loud at (he did). But perhaps the greatest lesson that Geraldo’s visit taught me is that although where we come from and the way that we think may be different; we all have something to offer. I feel grateful to have been on the receiving end of a burst of Brazilian spirit, and I thank Riverstone for the opportunity to make a life-long friend.

Special thanks to Sam B., a Grade 11 student, for sharing his experience hosting with us!