Exchange

It barely took a week for me to question my decision in joining the exchange program. Sitting in a room that isn’t my own, listening to my crazy host mother scream at her daughter for the fifth time since I got here. I left my home, my so-called friends and my family for a chance to have an adventure of my own. And yet the only adventure I’ve had is trying to navigate my way through the airport by myself for the first time.

Trying to convince my momma to let me travel to America by myself my senior year was hard enough. Being alone in a new country with no one knowing who I am sounded like a dream. But as I stare at the light blue undecorated walls in front of me, I realize that maybe this wouldn't be the crazy adventure I had been dreaming of.

The sun is setting, making the light blue room turn a funny shade. The walls in my bedroom back in Poland are covered in pictures and posters, plastered with my interests and memories. Maybe in the next few months I can add something to the walls to make this place less…depressing.

Piper Jones, my host sister, comes storming into her room. The room I am now invading for the next few months. She falls back onto her bed across from mine. The sun making her blonde hair look gold. Her eyes are squeezed shut and shes breathing hard. It's uncomfortable sitting in front of her not speaking but I do not know what to say. I have a very good relationship with my mother. I can not think of a time we actually got into an argument.

“Is everything alright?” I ask as softly as possible. The nerves of her anger being changed to target me rather than her mother makes my voice come out soft and unsure. Piper lifts her head with shock the morphs into embarrassment. She sits up, rubbing her forehead before answering, “Yeah, sorry. I didn't see you there.”

“It's ok, I am stealing your bedroom so you do not have to apologize to me for anything.” I try to lighten the mood and it seems to work when Piper laughs. She shakes her head lightly and her long blonde hair sways over her shoulders. Her smile gives her a dimple on her right cheek.

“You arent stealing anything. I’ve always wanted a sister.” She gives a smile. From the Family photos on the stairs, Piper has a brother who seems to be off to college somewhere.

“Well if you ever want to talk about it. I have until July to listen.” I run my hand through my hair, it falls just above my shoulders in auburn curls. Piper lets out another airy laugh.

“It's nothing, my moms just a little..” she trails off staring a hole into the quilt placed over my bed.

“Loud?” I try to fill in for her. Piper nods and lets out a deep sigh before flopping back onto the bed.

We sit in silence for a while as Piper starts to move about the room. I move back in my bed and pulled out the book i started reading on the plane ride over. I end up just rereading the same page as my mind drifts to school tomorrow.

I’ve got my outfit planned and my schedule memorized. My mind is running a mile a minute thinking of all the things that could still go wrong. A whole week later at my new school in America and I’m still panicked over the possibilities the next day may bring.

What if I sleep in? What if I can’t find my classes? What if I have a bad hair day?

Back in Poland I was popular by association with my friends but no one really cared if I showed up to parties or if I stopped replying to texts. I hadn't even noticed that they werent my real friends until I told them I got accepted into the exchange program and was going to America. That’s when they showed their true colors. Telling me that I’d be lost without them and that I won't make any friends because people are only friends with me to get closer to them.

I'm determined to make this year different. I won't let them be right about me. Plus I already Have Piper. I would like to think we are already friends.

My eyelids feel heavy and I havent been able to flip the pge of my book so I close the book and place it on the window sill by my bed and lay down to go to sleep. “Is the time difference still hitting you?” Piper says from the desk pushed against the foot of her bed. I hum and nod my head in reply. I keep repeating the same thing over and over in my mind as I fall into exhaustion.

This is the start of an adventure.