Carol and Maria had a great trip to the U.S.

FROM MARIA:

When I left Zambia, I was nervous about what life in the U.S. would be like. But once I arrived, everything felt new and exciting—especially the roads and all the beautiful lakes. I had never seen so many! Every time we passed one, I couldn’t stop staring. In Zambia we have terrible roads and five lakes in the whole country.

Going to my first mass in the U.S. at St. Timothy, I noticed how everybody behaves, dresses and communicates with each other. I was surprised to see some people wearing shorts and nobody seemed to mind. That’s one thing that doesn’t happen in Zambia. People want to interfere with the things you do. For me, ever since I started going to school and was able to speak and understand English very well, mom always taught us this phrase; MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. All the kids now have this memorized and it solves a lot. 

I was impressed by how families spend time together.  That’s rare in Zambia. I was so excited to meet my cousins, aunts, uncles and other family members.  At first, I thought my U.S. family was small, but I quickly realized how big and close they actually were. They were all very kind and friendly and I had so much fun with them. 

I also enjoyed the schools.  When I went to school in Minnesota, everybody welcomed me and made me feel comfortable. Some asked different questions about Zambia and some loved to play games and hang around.

This trip taught me a lot: to be kind, to care for others, to enjoy family time, and to mind my own business. These lessons have helped me grow and become a better person.    Maria