GregHowley.com

On Monday, we sent her home. Our Italian exchange student, my third daughter who I only met last year. I understand that everyone who hosts a student from abroad has a different experience, but in our case, Angelica absolutely became part of our family in a profound way. Sending her back to Rome was more difficult than I'd have ever expected. And although I'd have it no other way - I'm so happy that she's back with her family who she hasn't seen for an entire year - I just miss her.

I know that she had an amazing experience. She's been with us since August, and in that time she got to see the Atlantic for the first time, visited Niagra Falls in the freezing cold, and went with us to Disneyworld. We watched a near-total eclipse together, went on a 14-hour road trip to Kentucky, she had her 18th birthday here, and she got to experience an American high school, senior prom and all. Being alongside her and vicariously experiencing all that was a lot of fun.

It was so interesting to talk with her and see things from an outside perspective, having her point out things I'd never considered, such as the fact that the U.S. has flags absolutely everywhere. On the last day, we were talking and asked her a bunch of questions: What food from the U.S. would she miss most? Chili. What American stereotypes did she find to be true and not true? True was the fact that in the U.S., people take cars to get absolutely everywhere. False was that all Americans eat only fast food. And what things about the U.S. did she like most and least? Least was how expensive everything seemed to be. Most was extracurricular activities in school - apparently schools in Italy don't have sports or music departments.

I'm sure that we'll go to Italy and visit her and her family at some point in the future.