Blog post #3 - AY

Ever since leaving my home stay family, I have some to realize how grateful I am for all that they have done for me and Cuong, and how influential they have been in making my experience in Zambia so great.

When I was first introduced to the Wamulume family, I was still a bit flustered because of my jet lag, and because I was still adjusting to a country that is so different from my home. However, Mr. Wam made me feel at home, and I instantly knew that the Wamulume’s would be great hosts. The next day, when we met Auntie Sharon for the first time, she instantly filled that maternal figure that I was missing in my mom. Throughout the entire month, she looked after me and made sure that I was enjoying my time in Zambia.

One of the most vivid memories that I will remember in the flat, and beyond the end of the program was when we visited Elizabeth, the Wam’s daughter, at boarding school. We had heard a lot about all of the Wamulume children, and were disappointed that we could not hang out with them at home for the month. Leading up to our visit at the boarding school, Cuong and I were excited to spend time with her for the day, to try and get to know her as best as possible.

That morning, we woke up early, and we headed to the school. Once we arrived, it was so nice to see how excited the Wams were to see Elizabeth, and how excited Elizabeth was to see them. It made me a bit homesick, because I knew that I would be experiencing a similar reunion with my parents at the beginning of August. Elizabeth was also excited to meet Cuong and me – She was a bit shy at first, but quickly warmed up to us. We spoke about school, TV shows, the chickens, and cool places to hang out in Lusaka. Elizabeth reminded me a lot of my little brother, who is the same age. Her enthusiasm and charm were vibrant.

I really enjoyed meeting Elizabeth with the Wams because it was the first time that I got to see their family “in action.” Before this, the Wamulume family was just the parents, as the children seemed more imaginative in my mind. It was endearing to see how they interacted with each other. It was clear that the Wamulumes are all very close, and it made me appreciate all that Auntie Sharon and Mr Wam do.

As I continue to live in the flat and when I come back to America, I will continue to remember, and hold onto, the closeness of their family. Although Elizabeth is now in boarding school and sees her parents much less often, they still manage to uphold their loving familial relationship. In a country like Zambia that is seemingly different from America on its surface, the love that we have for our family is similar. This was special.