When I told my daughter of the idea I had of her spending a year overseas in Greece, she was ecstatic to say the least. She had already been telling me prior to us contacting the foreign exchange program that she was already ready to return. I cannot even describe what her face looked like... Continue Reading →
Foreign Exchange Student Part 2
Well, I received the email with the attached documents and just as I had suspected it was all there in writing... Interview and application handling fee (committee costs); Two student weekends (space rental, food, room, transportation costs, activities for student & committee); Student/Parent orientation (space rental, materials and food); copies and postage, committee resources, training... Continue Reading →
The end of Christmas as we know it
I have been wanting to write this for a week but I have been a little down due to the holidays and knowing now that Christmas will never be the same. My daughter informed me the Friday before Christmas that she no longer believed in Santa and that she had planned to tell me on... Continue Reading →
An overseas birth in Greece
My daughter is now 15. Where has the time gone?! It seems like only yesterday I had all these thoughts about not only becoming a first time mother, but also the concern of my daughter's future in a country, I thought at the time, would be our home forever. While I sat there thinking, I... Continue Reading →
The need to speak English in Greece
In most places in Greece you will find locals that speak English, and some quite well. Unfortunately, my daughter is not in one of those parts of Greece. She has been struggling with missing the English language during her time there, and has continuously been on the lookout for any English speakers. I can just... Continue Reading →
When a father is absent in their daughter’s life
You always hear about how a girl who doesn’t have a father present in her life tends to go with men earlier than the average girl her age. It is said that she will always try to find someone to fill the emptiness because she never had a father around. I have spoken to quite... Continue Reading →
She found out on Facebook and Mr. Disappointment still refused to tell her
My daughter saw a post that her father (Mr. Disappointment) had posted on Facebook. It was a picture of him and his girlfriend and the heading read "Joined in a Civil Union". While on the phone, I could tell by her voice that she was in complete shock. She asked me what that meant and... Continue Reading →
His reply to my email
The reply to my email (you can read it here) was not at all what I expected, nor did it make any sense. Here is his reply: It is exhausting enough saying one thing to another person, the other person understanding something different and then transferring it to a third person in a totally different... Continue Reading →
She is in his country – only an arm’s-length away
She is now in his country after four years and even though she is approximately 300 miles away from where he lives, he is using excuses as to why he cannot see her. He had three months to plan for her arrival knowing she was going to be in his country for the entire summer.... Continue Reading →
Disappointment takes away excitement
When my daughter first arrived in Greece, her father picked her up from the airport. She spent the day and night with him. When they arrived to his home, his girlfriend did not greet her well at all. In fact, she shook my daughter's hand and then went and sat on the couch where she... Continue Reading →