"At the time was to change Host Families, our Support Officer came and advised us that the second Host Family was experiencing financial difficulties and that Ai would stay with us for the time being. Margaret, Mia and Ai could not have been happier, the hugged each other and danced around the room.
Ai's progress has been (we think) exceptional when she first came to us we could say "do you want us to cut your throat," Ai would smile and say "Yes." Now she sits at the table and joins in our family conversations. A incident that I don't think you will hear from any other student occurred in the beginning of October, Ai came home from school one afternoon and said "David, the Japanese are coming" I said "What" she said "The Japanese are coming" again I said "What are you talking about" Ai said "Japanese students are coming to our school and they are having trouble finding them accommodation, and we have a spare bedroom so maybe we could have one here, it is only for a week." The student we ended up hosting for the week was called Mana and Ai worked with her tirelessly to teach her English. Ai, Mia and Mana were inseparable for the week.
Ai has had some great experiences in Australia, from having a stay on a cattle station to driving back home via Eromanga (which is also a Japanese word meaning pornographic cartoon), Ai wanter her photo taken in front of everything with the word Eromanga on it and we did not know why until she let us in on the meaning of the word the next day. She has fought with the flies at Cooper Creek, covered up the word "Ginger" on her Ginger Beer for a photo sitting in the bar of Noccundra Hotel. In Thargominda she saw the sight of the first electricity producing turbine in Australia, and has been whale watching on Hervey Bay, she has ridden a horse through Maleny for the RSPCA Million Paws Walk, she has made many, many friends at school and has fitted in with everybody and everything in the community.
All of her adventures she has sent to her family on DVD so they are sharing her experiences with her. She has been a pleasure to have and we look forward to hosting another student again another time."
Yours sincerley
David and Margaret Armstrong
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