Welcome Xena!

Today we have become a host family for a month to Xena, the Belgian student we met last year. You may remember that she had a bad experience with the language school she was with, so this time she is going to a different school and staying with us.

I spent the morning getting her room ready, and went to pick her up from the station at lunch time. I needed to go to the supermarket as with being away, the cupboards were bare, so last night I asked her if she’d mind if we went after I’d picked her up, that way I could make sure I bought things that she liked. She’s very easy though and even though she’s paying to stay with us and have meals, she’s happy to eat what we eat, and doesn’t want me buying things that I wouldn’t normally buy.

Once home we let her unpack and settle in, and then we suggested going for a walk to show her where the bus stop is as she’ll be taking to bus to school, and it’s a good 15 minute walk from our house. We also walked down to the beach and along the Undercliff Walk and then headed back home, asking her to take the lead. We’d used various landmarks when we walked down, so that she had something to identify the route - we just wanted to be confident that she’s not going to get lost! She had to think about it, but she made it, and Alan has done her a little map, and I took photos of the road signs of the roads she needs and sent these to her so she’s got them stored on her phone.

I made a Sunday roast of chicken, root mash, cauliflower and brocoli with roasted parsnips. I remember when we lived in Belgium that we couldn’t buy parsnips, and sure enough, Xena didn’t know what they were - she liked them though!

So all in all, her first day has gone well, tomorrow she starts school, so fingers crossed she likes it!