Touching comments from my international student friends

I thought I'd make a post about a few comments I have gotten from some of my international student friends, in talking about how much they love coming over to my house and being a part of our family.

I might add that none of these students knew each other before they met at our house, but soon they were very close friends and did stuff together outside of our house all the time. I frequently see pictures on Facebook of their activities, and several others from our group are in the pictures too! And this includes students who attend different schools but see each other socially outside of school.

One, a high school exchange student from Vietnam, wrote to me that dining at our house has been the highlight of her year in Los Angeles. It is something that she will always cherish. I suspect that our group is a key reason she plans to return here for Christmas break next year. She is transferring to a school in Arizona, but says she will come here in December to visit us. We were all sad to see her leave!

Another, an M.A. student in medical management from China, wrote to me that she always loves to receive my emails (inviting them to new events) because she knows that someone cares about her. That really touched me a lot to read that!

And another M.A. student in some kind of nutritional science but with cooking to it, from Japan, wrote me a card when she left to transfer to NYU. She wrote, "Dear Vicki, Thank you for everything, Vicki! I was so glad to be a friend with you. WHen I first came to the U.S. I didn't know anything and anyone. At that time, I didn't like my dorm, so I didn't have a place to relax, but I relaxed in your house and I found so many friends who are now very important for me. I met my current housemate, Jasmine, at your house. Giang, who is from the same scholarship [the Fullbright Scholarship, a very prestigious international one]. I really enjoyed all the parties I joined. One more thing which I want to tell you is that, for international students, it is very difficult to make American friends. Iwas lucky to have sevearl American friends who helped me in my class but still, I feel it difficult to make American friends. International students are always interested in American culture and want to make American friends. I don't know how to say thank you."

Wasn't that sweet? I learned that she and her three roommates (four girls shared a 2-bedroom quad, with a common bathroom and kitchennette) the last quarter were all students who met at my house, and because they were so hospitable to the other international students, people soon began calling them, "The Second Vicki's House"!

Can you tell that I have found something that I really love doing?

That's wonderful Vicki! Look how many lives you've touched. I wonder how much of this could you have done if instead of having migraines bad enough to keep you home, you were out studying or working? It's pretty cool that you have found something you can do despite the migraines that touches people's hearts they way you have.

When you are in despair, think about this. You are having a positive impact on the world even when it feels like the opposite.

(((Big hug)))

Wow Vicki!! You should feel very good about these letters! You have helped so many students just by being yourself....that's quite a wonderful thing. Good for you!! You're a very nice person to many people.

It is quite possible that you wouldn't have had these experiences had you not been a migraineur. I guess you could look at it as the silver lining in the migraine cloud.

Is there any way you could parlay this into a career? Perhaps you could start a business which helps exchange students with finding roommates. You could start a website similar to an eharmony but for students to meet for friendship instead of romance.

Just an idea!

The thought that I wouldn't have been able to do this if I were healthy enough to be working has struck me, so I do see a silver lining to the migraines, if it is sometimes hard to see through the pain!

I'm not sure I'd be able to make a career out of such activities, but for now, just knowing that I can help students in my own way is meaningful. We have had 70 students come through our house in the last year, with a core of about 30-40, and we averaged about 15-20 students a week. That means that 70 students can say they were welcomed into an American home and were invited to make a second family with all of us. Some chose not to return, but most have.

Vicki,
what you're doing is wonderful, I wish I had time and room to make something similar.
For you it must be hard as you have to cope with migraine most of the time, but you can do it and this is what really counts.
I am glad that in this world there are people like you!

What is nice is that we only meet two Fridays a month during the school year, so it doesn't require a whole lot of time on my part. And my parents are super involved, so that helps out a lot too. My dad will drive to Cal State LA to pick up students, and my mom helps with the cooking. But even then, I am always exhausted after they come over and don't get out of the bed for the rest of the weekend!

But it is comments like the ones above that really encourage me to keep going. I'm just so thrilled to finally feel like I'm doing something worthwhile for someone else!

What a blessing you are, Vicki!

Cheryl