Tatiana's Story
My journey to America begun in 1997, when I was 10 years old…and today I am
still here! How did it happen? My story is an amazing fairy tale.
I was blessed to be one of those kids who got to travel to a foreign land, mysterious U.S.A
when I was 10 years old. As a kid, I was such a homebody, but yet was very excited to go to California.
When we first landed in San Francisco airport, my excitement grew into fear and
tears…for three days! After a while though I had adapted to my new family for the summer
and the most unbelievable and amazing journey of my life began.
I would like to devote special attention to my host family. They made the
biggest difference in my life. If I have never met them, I would have not become
the person I am today. Meg and Todd Wilson had two kids at that time- Olivia,
age 3, and Spencer, age 1. Imagine, how busy and overwhelming the time when you
have little kids plus a 10 year old kid from a foreign country? They showed me so much love and care, just like my own parents. They opened not only their house to me, but
also their hearts. I can't find enough words to describe how truly amazing they are – kind, generous, giving, loving, supporting, caring, thoughtful. During the first year my attachment
to them grew rather strong as well as theirs. For the next five summers, I was a frequent visitor at their house. The whole year I would be dreaming of summer because the six weeks that I spend with them were the highlight of my whole year.
However, we all grow older and realize that the age will come when we are no longer able to participate in the project. It happened to me when I was 16. That summer would have been the last summer of my American journey; little did I know the surprise was waiting for me at the end of the summer! My loving American family, after they already have done so much for me, invited me to go to college in California!
I didn’t believe it was happening to me! On the other hand, my American family’s
decision to have me in their home was done independently of CCP, on their own
commitment and funds. Can anyone do anything greater than that? Only a kind and
a loving heart can.
I moved to California in August 2004 as a student on F-1 visa to go to college. The four years have gone by
extremely fast. I have graduated from San Francisco State University with a
Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. Yet, I am still involved with the CCP, but on the different side of it – I have been volunteering as an interpreter and a spokesperson, and serve on the board.
It has been a very exciting and yet unbelievable journey. I look forward to
being involved with the CCP for the years to come and hope to become a host family someday and give the love and care to the kids.
Who would think that a summer trip to California would give me another family? My sister Olivia is 16 years old now and my brother Spencer is 14
years old. In my life, I got to be the youngest sibling (out of my Belarusian
siblings) and the oldest among Olivia and Spencer. It is a unique experience, like I lived two lives. I love my American family with all my heart and
very grateful for giving me my American life.
|
|
