IN BETWEEN - The arrival

June 18^th, 11 o’clock p.m.

Dear Diary, what a day!!

I arrived in Australia only a few hours ago, at around midday, as I got off the plane I heard someone  call my name out loud and I felt embarrassed and lost because I couldn’t find where my host family was. While I was going to ask some information, someone grabbed my shoulder and said: “Hi Kimberly, I’m Adam! How are you? How was your journey?”

I turned and I saw a tall, blond, middle-aged man, looking friendly and helpful. I am a shy, clumsy girl;  in fact I could not answer with confidence, and I SIMPLY could not find the appropriate words. I lpuked up the courage and said something. I told him about the journey, my expectations for this trip as we were  heading for home.

The family is composed of Adam, the father, Eliza, the mother, who is really lovely, patient and always ready to help people. She works for a charity.  Their two children Brandon and Holly, 18 and 16 years old, are kind and outgoing. I didn’t know them when I got there ; I sometimes I used to chat with Holly just to get to know each other.

Their family is different from mine, because I was adopted when I was a baby by a young British couple who couldn't have children, so I'm an only child.

When we arrived home, they showed me the house: it is one-storey mansion near Melbourne, with a lot of rooms; in addition each bedroom has got a communicating bathroom ; there is also an enormous kitchen and a living room where they have three sofas opposite a big television.

Then Adam took me to my room: it is a room with a big window overlooking the garden. In the middle  there is a four-poster bed, like the one in my favourite film. I couldn't hope anything better. He also showed me my personal bathroom, where I eventually had a shower. 

In the evening, while we were eating at an Italian restaurant, we talked about ourselves and I discovered we had some common interests, like Brendon I love playing the piano. I also love lacrosse and I'm fond of cinema (I know every film by Steven Spielberg, my favourite director); I like pets and cooking, even if in England I can't improve this hobby, because we are bad cooks. Here in Australia I would like to learn to windsurf, so I hope my host family will help me.

After dinner, we had fun in a pub. We also met some very nice boys and girls.  I’ve  noticed that people are much friendlier here than in England.