My host student is Freya. Her parents don’t speak much English, but her dad speaks more than her mom, so I’ve been able to talk with him. We spent 2 hours going through the books I gave them as their gifts. There was an American cookbook and an American national parks coffee table book, and I showed them my favorite places and foods. During the weekend and after school, I visited the summer palace, the zoo, and a famous lake with Toni and Grace. We’ve been able to bond over talking about the culture of these places.