Bringing Honor to the Coolest Dad Ever

My name is Aqib and I am an exchange student form Pakistan. I am placed in Hopkins, South Carolina. I arrived to my host family on August 28th. It's been more than 4 month but I still remember that moment, I was a little nervous to meet my host parents. My Cluster Leader introduced me to my host parents and they met me as if they know me for a long time. My host mom, Constance, came and hugged me. My host dad (Anthony) and brother(Brandon) welcomed me. It felt really awsome. My nervousness changed into full joy and happiness. When we arrived home, my host dad asked me to call my biological parents and told me to tell them that I reached safely. I called my parents and my mother started to cry. She said "Kid, you are in safe hands, I can feel." Well, she was right and from all that I learned one thing that it's not necessary that only the parents who gave birth to you, can be your parents. There is a connection between me and them.
 
I call my host mom, mom and my host dad, dad. They treat me the same as Brandon, my host brother. I try to treat them the same as I used to do to my family in Pakistan. My host mom helped me out in a lot of things and I really appreciate her. Her formula, go with the kid to his place of work or a shop one time and then let him do the next times on his own, made me to expose myself more to the people. My host mom wore my traditional clothes and I did her photoshoot. Whenever she cooks in the kitchen, I stand with her and share my whole day. She listens to me and gives me advice whenever I want. Whenever we visit any of their relatives they say "Here is my son, Brandon and there's my other son, Aqib." My host dad is the coolest dad ever. He jokes around and is a fun person to hang out with. 

I was in a play, Mulan at school. I was playing the main male lead role and when my host parents got to know about it, they showed the response more than what I expected. We all went out to celebrate. There was a dialougue from the play which my host dad said to me after the show "You have brought honor to us all." That literally felt so amazing. I ask them a lot of questions and they answer me everything. I truely admire my host brother,Brandon, because he feels no hesitation to share his mom and dad with me. He is just 14 years old but he never showed any bad feelings. When I got selected for CEW there was nobody in the house except him.  And I told him and he became so happy, he truely shared my excited joy.

There's a lot to say about them. Because of them I was able to see the world more properly and I guess I am blessed that I got the Elkins as my host family thanks to Ayusa.