Many study-abroad programs come with a requirement that you live with a foreign host family. Sometimes, the experience can be jarring–like that Christopher Durang play “The Actor’s Nightmare”, where everyone knows their lines and moves except the main character. But more often, you are warmly welcomed into the new family and find in it a new appreciation of your family back home.
That’s what’s been happening to Nic Freschi, a graduate of the Verona High School class of 2011 who went to Ecuador in early fall with a gap year program called Global Citizen Year. He is, in every sense, very far from Verona. In a remote mountain farm with minimal creature comforts and lots of creatures to tend to. In place of 24/7 Internet, he must jot his thoughts down and then wait for a connection when he gets to Quito once a month or so. He is living with a family, and his latest blog post is all about the similarities between his family here in Verona and there:
“I think the close correlation between my American family and my Ecuadorian family has saved me from getting even the slightest bit homesick. To start, I went from my dad being my favorite person to both of my dads being my favorite people. They are good natured, youthful and perhaps both show some favoritism towards me over my brothers.
You can read more from Nic on the Global Citizen Web site.
