Alysson Zanatta, 11:23 AM 9/11/99 , Letter for AFS students in San Antonio

 Hello guys!!

 Hi. My name is Alysson Zanatta. I'm 22 years old, and I'm from Brazil. Right now I'm enrolled at a Medical School here in my city, Londrina. I had the great opportunity to be in San Antonio in 1994-1995, with all these fine people, you are getting to know, and that's why I'm writing you this letter: to share a little bit of my experience. It's been over a month since you have arrived, and you already had the chance to "feel" how is to be abroad. Do you guys cry every night like a puppy? Well, I cried. It's a whole new world, with new people, new language, new places, and, mainly, new habits and lifestyles, so, you might feel like a puppy when it's taken away from his mom when it's old enough. But, again like a puppy, you get to know your new place, your new family, and you learn to love them, so much, that when it's time to go back, you will not want to leave them behind. You will want to have both of your families living together forever, like I do want.

I remember my swim party, at Barbara's home. They took pictures from all of us, and they said we would compare them by the end of the year. When we looked behind, we saw our faces had changed, but we couldn't see at the picture how our minds were changed. Maybe even you won't notice how much you are changing, and you'll only be aware of that when you back to your places, and start relating to your families and friends. So, I think you should always look behind, every single day, trying to imagine what is the best way to enjoy your year. I can give you some tips, if you want; 1) get to know as many people as you get. Each one of them has something different to teach you; 2) don't get disappointed for silly things. Time is running, and you don't want to miss it being upset; 3) respect the differences between you and your family and friends. Don't expect them to act like you, because they won't. Try to learn about them, about the other exchange students, because that's the most important reason for the AFS year, to learn about people, about living with them, which is not always very easy; 4) don't have only one or two best friends. Your world in U.S. is very big, and you may not see it all if you are only with few people. 5) And, since you're in the U.S., you will also learn English., Do you understand what is means? It means that you have a great chance to learn how to live with people, to know different people, to have a new family for the rest of your life, and, like an extra prize, you will learn English. But, if you chose to be an exchange student only to learn a new language, because English is important, and bla, bla, bla…  I'm sorry, you chose the wrong program. You would do better with one of those packs that they take you to Disney for 1 or 2 months.

How about your families? I remember, that when I still was in Brazil before I leave, people from AFS in Londrina called me. They were all serious, and they said: "Listen, Alysson. We have a place for you in U.S. But, this is a "special" case. Your family won't have the same structure as yours in Brazil (I live with my parents, one brother and one sister). He's single, his sons do not live with them, and he also hosts a Mexican." So, I'll tell you what happened: Edward was the super family. He was a father, a mother, brother, friend, he is everything. He is one of the most important people in my life. That means that no matter how your family is, it depends upon you and them to be happy. Make your part of the deal, and they will make theirs for sure, that's why they chose to receive you and to adopt as a new member of the family.

The letter is getting big. Are you still awake? Wake up, I have a last thing to say- CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are lucky people, like a few in the whole world. You are having the chance of your lives. You live in a wonderful city (you will get to know more as the year goes by), and, most of all, you have Barbara and John Thabet, Ellen and John Evans, Patsy, Morris, and all the AFS volunteers. Their heart is so big, but so big, that they already have so many sons and daughters all around the world, but it still fits more at their hearts. Trust them for whatever you may need. Learn to love them like you will love your host families and new friends, because you are only there because there are nice people like them over there, who take their times, spend their money, and still get your problems as their problems.

 I guess I took too much of your time. If this helps at all for you to feel better, I will be very happy here in Brazil. Good luck for you all, and God bless you.

Alysson