Hosted in Mt Albert

Hello Reader!

It's been awhile since I've written something on here, but I find myself having tons of school work to do yet again, so it is of course time for the honored tradition of blogging when I really should be doing something else!

This particular posting is about the fantastic people that are my host family, and my quietly enjoyable life with them in the western suburbs of Auckland, in a little place known as Mt Albert.  My host parents and my host sister (let's refer to them as M = host mom, D = host dad, S = host sister) are some of the most welcoming people I have met in a long time, and have a fantastic sense of humor, spectacular culinary skills, a beautiful home, and an adorable cat named Kipper.  M works as a manager of an adorable little boutique in town, and D works for a large American company, and recently went to Bangkok on business (cool!).  S is in year 11 (equivalent to 10th grade in the US, but is like 9th grade in the sense of being the first year of "serious" study), and is a cheerful 14 year old who bakes fantastic cupcakes and always brings one to me in my room when I am studying (cue the "awwww" response).  Better yet, she does this about twice a week - she gives me one, gives her mum one, eats one herself, and then takes the rest to her friends at school, simply because she is very kindhearted.  I love spending time with her!  Last night (Valentine's Day here), I went to Silo Park to watch The Princess Bride projected onto the side of a silo (they play a movie every week during the summer) and invited S and her friend to come along.  We had so much fun, although I think she got a little cold with the wind coming off of the water.  Hopefully we will do it again soon!

Anyway, back to the homestay.  I feel so blessed to have ended up with another wonderful family (my first wonderful family being in Paris last spring - Juju et le petit Raph, je dois vous remercie mille fois pour votre hospitalite pendant mon sejour a Paris!).  The first night I got to my homestay, we had a barbecue out on the back deck and chatted until late.  Recent meals have included pesto pasta with kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes, mixed seafood over udon noodles, and chicken satay skewers on the barbecue.  I am in food paradise!  Better yet, D likes to maintain a glass house out in the backyard, which grows green onions and tons of tomatoes!  The tomatoes are by far the best ones I have ever tasted.

But truly, even though this blog post has turned into a rambling about delicious food, I am so grateful to be with a group of caring and loving people, who have welcomed me into their home as if I am family.  Makes me want to host foreign students some day!

Cheers for now!
Maggie