I apologise for taking so long to write another article, but the past month has been one of the most challenging I’ve experienced during my exchange. I’m now writing from my second host family’s home and am still adjusting to the changes it has brought. Looking back, I can’t even imagine how hard it would have been if my first family hadn’t welcomed me with so much love and care.

November was truly a crazy month. I came down with pneumonia, which was challenging enough on its own, and on top of that, I had an unexpected visit to the dentist, where I paid $350 for a five-minute procedure. Just as I was starting to recover from all of this, it was time to pack up and move to a new family. No one warned us that changing host families could be such a challenge, and no one prepared me for the overwhelming sense of sadness and loss when I had to say goodbye to the first family, who had become a true home for me.

Packing was emotionally exhausting. My room, which I had grown to love over three and a half months, suddenly turned into an empty, cold space. I couldn't believe how many things I had managed to accumulate. Every little item I placed into my suitcase reminded me of experiences, moments of laughter, and the feeling of belonging to this family. When moving day finally came, we all tried to delay the moment when I would have to leave. I cried, my host mum cried, and even the kids shed tears.

On the way to my new host family, my host mum said something that touched me deeply: "When you arrived, you said you hoped that when the time came to leave, you'd feel sad because it would mean you'd found people who reminded you of home. I think you’ve done that, Agi. You’re on the right path."