Family

So tonight my family went to dinner with a bunch of Rotary Youth Exchange people from Windsor. The reason we all got together was to celebrate the arrival of our Inbound student's family. Solveig's family got off the plane after spending a total of 14 hours in the air, and in 2 days have only gotten 2 hours of sleep. However, they were bright and cheerful at dinner tonight, despite the fatigue. They were so nice! I got tell them all about our Rotary meeting here, and even told them some of the Norwegian phrases I know. It was especially fun because they spoke PERFECT English, so everyone could talk to them without problems (as fun as translating would be for Solveig). 

However, their impeccable English made me realize something. If my parents were to come to Belgium, they wouldn't be able to communicate at all. They don't speak French, so it would just be one big confusing frenzy of different languages flying through everyone's head. Even seeing Solveig so happy with her family, this whole night just reaffirmed my family's decision to not visit. Because they don't speak French, it would just be awkward for everyone involved. I think it is better for me personally to keep the two worlds separated anyway.

I know that it is easy to say this now, when I don't even know how hard it is to be so far away from one's family; but I think that I will feel the same way once I am in Belgium too. It just seems like I would not feel as excited to see them since I am in the middle of my experience. I don't know... I just am glad that we all made the decision that they would stay home.