This Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day, my host family invited us to have dinner at their home. The first time, since I came to Singapore, I felt as if I were at home and the first time, I felt a little bit missing my family.
Host Family is a program held by befriender aimed at making us feel warm and welcomed here in Singapore. Before this dinner, my host family had invited us to have dinner for several times, including celebrating Chinese New Year, visiting Asia Civilization Museum, having morning walking with their club. Boring as they might be, these activities contributed to our acquaintanceship with each other. But this is the first time I felt something similar to my home.
It was already seven o’clock when my host family picked us from Eton Hall. The moment Aunty saw us, she got off the car and hugged us one by one. Sometimes, embrace do make people feel warm. Then Uncle drove us to their home for dinner.
It is a cute private house, with soft light on. This reminded me a sentence by San Mao, home is a where someone lights, waiting for you. Usually, they have three children at home, but today only one left. The elder brother had gone to work, while sister had gone to Canada for a month’s study. Despite this, it is still a warm home with the youngest boy, who was in secondary school. In the yard, I saw the wind sitting in the swing.
Finally, dinner was served! Wow! Dishes were so nice! However, what made me feel at home were not the dishes, but the way all the family members have dinner at table, talking and sharing what happened in the day. What blessedness they have, I think. No pleasure in the world can equal that of having dinner together with family after a tiring day.
What about me?
I was drowned in sorrow,deep in blue . While Aunty asked thoughtfully: “are you tired? Do you feel well today?” What I could do was just smiled gently back, saying: “No, I’m fine. It’s really enjoyable today.” Then Aunty kept telling me that "Never let your parents down and never do things you will regret!"
It was not until half past ten did Uncle sent us back to Eton Hall. Before leaving, Aunty gave me an album with the photos we took before, as a memory that we spent happy moments together.
I sat on the swing for a while. I felt the wind became still at that precise moment.
When we arrived at Eton Hall, it was near eleven o’clock. I saw half moon hanging on the sky, the same as the one in my hometown.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I cannot love your short but beautiful description about background scenery a little bit more! --"soft light on", "the wind sitting in the swing", "the wind became still"... All of these details weigh slightest in normal days but say the most in that subtle and sensitive transience.
ReplyDeleteNo one can truly say he/she doesn't miss home at all. But isn't it great that we are not alone in the far-away nation? With friends and all, we should appreciate what we have. Time will come when we feel consolation instead of misery at the thought of family.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful scene it was! I'm dening you because my host family didn't show much hospitality, and the nearest meeting won't come until next month! no words...
ReplyDelete"half moon hanging on the sky",so scary!Haha~Anyway,I can still feel the pleasure and warmth between your lines!It can't be denied that all of us feel homesick somehow,yet it is also nice that we made new friends here in another country,isn't it? I always regard it as a sheer magic and yuanfen(==!really don't how to translate)that all of us,who were in various parts of China and led different lives, came together,walked into each other's life,became friends and supported each other in a foreign country.I really appreciate this kind of company^^
ReplyDelete