Sunday, January 26, 2014

Huan ying (literal translation - welcome exchange student with the offending odor)


Welcome to Zixun (aka Max).  
He is a 7th grade student staying with us from China until Thursday.
We are not new to the exchange student thing, we had Jack from Korea last year.
  That was interesting.
I'm gonna be honest, regardless of where these kids come from they are still teenage boys.
They are like herding cats.

Poor Max. He does not understand a lick of English.
I showed him 3 times how the shower works cause guess what, the kid needs a shower.
He is a stinky 13 year old boy and 
there is always one thing that can effect the way I interact with people and that is smell.

I am not proud, just being honest.  If you stink, I will still talk to you if I have to, 
but it is very difficult for me to have a poker face.  
I used to work with this guy who had halitosis. It was so distracting.  
All I could think of was the poor person who had to pucker up and kiss that stink.
I also will not buy anything I don't like the smell of.  Lip gloss, moisturizer, you name it. If it doesn't pass the smell test, forget about it.

Anywho...

This was a last minute thing and my kids were already booked to go on a ski weekend with boy scouts.   I didn't think it would be that big of a deal.  Now I have Max and he seems very confused and very overwhelmed. I have tried to explain that I have two boys and they will be home tomorrow.  I don't think he gets it. I think that he thinks he is stuck with this old lady (isn't everyone old when you are 13?) He doesn't like cookies. He doesn't like tv. It is snowing here so we are in for the night. We have a puzzle started and he was very excited when he saw that.  He worked on it for and hour.  I sat down wind and watched a little tv.  After an hour I don't think he got one piece. 

Interesting is about the only word that comes to mind... Interesting.

He has been in the states for a week so he isn't dealing with the exhaustion of travel and time change.  I think he is now dealing with the "holy shit" moment that he isn't in Kansas China anymore. 

Here's hoping Max is smelling as fresh as a daisy tomorrow and
 we find some adventures he will enjoy.

2 comments:

Bee Lady said...

Oh dear! I can't believe they would send a student here that can't speak English!

Cindy Bee

janis said...

Oh my Gosh! I almost totally understand! I work at the Deaf School in Indiana, and this year we got an Exchange Student from Pakistan. She is the sweetest thing. (16 yr old Senior) HOWEVER.. not only do we have the cultural difference, the language is different as well. ASL (American Sign Language is not the same as other countries sign language. D also is at a very different maturity and socializing level as my well rounded girls. While they are interested in dating, facebook & partying, D is interested in Disney, praying & is very curious (my girls would say noisy)sbout the wrong things the girls do. Poor thing gets teary as she just does not fit in and she knows it. She has different hygiene habits and customs and also smells...well, not fresh. Especially when her period is present. Her religion differences are so different, my girls unfortunately while they are polite to D they are not interested in friending her anymore. I feel so sorry for her as she has 5 more months here, and her Host family has been trying to find another host family for her since she got her. (Unfortunately the have another Exchange student (not deaf) and they adore him). Good luck with Max. Maybe your boys can help more with the hygiene issues... Kids copy peers better than listening to adults.