21/1/2001

9:48pm

I'll have to congratulate my mother of her gift choices: they were a hit!

I'd already seen a couple of New Zealand tea towels displayed under the plastic table cloth, so I already knew an Australia addition to the collection would please my host mother. There was also an emu hand puppet, which the youngest is yet to take off her hand, and some Australian tea tree oil soap, which smells great and impressed my mother. The whole family was fascinated with the tea towel, which is decorated with a map surrounded by native Australian animals.

But the best part by far was the big box of Cadbury Favourites. Watching their excitement, their faces and reactions to trying new kinds of chocolate, was priceless. All this was accompanied by a heart-felt letter, translated by my project leader, and my mama tica was very touched, and gave me a big hug. I know, this is a bigger, 'larger than life' kind of experience, but I really believe it's the little moments like that that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.