Hola!

Her name was Ana Maria Marin Borja.  My ex-wife and I hosted her in our home back in 1990-1991. She was an exchange student from Mexico. She arrived at our home about a month into the school year. The family that she was living with didn’t feel that it was working out. We decided to ignore that red flag and invite her into our home.

It was a good decision. Her first question of us was “what chores do you want me to do?”. Apparently the family before us intended to use her more as a maid than as a welcomed guest.  We had a good talk about expectations, which didn’t include back breaking work. We simply wanted to continue to live our quiet life while learning more about Mexican life while we would provide her with a view of a middle class American life.

She fit in immediately. She had a wonderful sense of humor and there were nights that the three of us would end up laughing until we were crying. Ana came from the Mexican upper class. I’m not sure if they were wealthy, but they sure had more money than I ever did.  She and her family lived in the capital of the State of Mexico, Toluca. We visited there a few years after she returned home. They had a maid.  She, because of where we lived, had to enroll at Allen High School. That she didn’t like.

Language was not a problem as she spoke fluent English.  The biggest cultural “conflicts” came around time and conversation. We went one time to visit my daughter’s grave. She expected that we would be spending the afternoon there and having a picnic. That was what she was used to.  Also, if we would go out to eat, which we would often do, she would expect to sit in the restaurant for hours, after the meal was complete, to converse. Even if it was McDonald’s.

She called us Mom and Dad and it was difficult to see her leave as the school year ended.  The house was much quieter after she left.  But we did visit her at her home a few years later. Toluca was about the size of Allentown and a very lovely city.  Her mother took us into Mexico City for dinner and shopping. It was a modern metropolis and, at the time, it was the largest city in the world. It was wonderful.

Ana and I are still Facebook friends. She is now married and in her mid-forties.  I follow the growth of her one daughter, who is an excellent figure skater.

I’m not quite sure what sparked me to write about her today.  Maybe it’s because of all the hatred in the world. This one small act of hosting an exchange student was our little act of peace.  We all need to know each other better and respect each other more.  Just because someone is different does not mean they are less than us.

For my readers who have considered hosting an exchange student. I say go for it! Just expect to spend more time than usual in your favorite restaurant.