THE "FIVE FAMILIES" 

This essay could work for prompts 1, 2, 5 and 7 for the Common App.

When I was 16, I lived with the Watkins family in Wichita, Kansas. Mrs. Watkins was the coordinator of the foreign exchange student program I was enrolled in. She had a nine year old son named Cody. I would babysit Cody every day after school for at least two to three hours. We would play Scrabble or he would read to me from Charlotte’s Web or The Ugly Duckling. He would talk a lot about his friends and school life, and I would listen to him and ask him the meanings of certain words. He was my first friend in the New World.

My second family was the Martinez family, who were friends of the Watkins’s. The host dad Michael was a high school English teacher and the host mom Jennifer (who had me call her “Jen”) taught elementary school. She had recently delivered a baby, so she was still in the hospital when I moved into their house. The Martinez family did almost everything together. We made pizza together, watched Shrek on their cozy couch together, and went fishing on Sunday together. On rainy days, Michael, Jen and I would sit on the porch and listen to the rain, talking about our dreams and thoughts. Within two months I was calling them mom and dad.

After I finished the exchange student program, I had the option of returning to Korea but I decided to stay in America. I wanted to see new places and meet different people. Since I wasn’t an exchange student anymore, I had the freedom--and burden--of finding a new school and host family on my own. After a few days of thorough investigation, I found the Struiksma family in California. They were a unique group.

The host mom Shellie was a single mom who had two of her own sons and two Russian daughters that she had adopted. The kids always had something warm to eat, and were always on their best behavior at home and in school. It would be fair to say that this was all due to Shellie’s upbringing. My room was on the first floor, right in front of Shellie’s hair salon, a small business that she ran out of her home. In the living room were six or seven huge amplifiers and a gigantic chandelier hung from the high ceiling. The kitchen had a bar. At first, the non-stop visits from strangers made me nervous, but soon I got used to them. I remember one night, a couple barged into my room while I was sleeping. It was awkward.

After a few months I realized we weren’t the best fit. In the nicest way possible, I told them I had to leave. They understood.

The Ortiz family was my fourth family. Kimberly, the host mom, treated me the same way she treated her own son. She made me do chores: I fixed dinner, fed their two dogs Sassy and Lady, and once a week I cleaned the bathroom. I also had to follow some rules: No food in my room, no using the family computer, no lights on after midnight, and no ride unless it was an emergency. The first couple of months were really hard to get used to, but eventually I adjusted.

I lived with the Ortiz family for seven months like a monk in the deep forest. However, the host dad Greg’s asthma got worse after winter, so he wanted to move to the countryside. It was unexpected and I only had a week to find a new host family. I asked my friend Danielle if I could live with her until I found a new home. That’s how I met the Dirksen family, my fifth family.

The Dirksen family had three kids. They were all different. Danielle liked bitter black coffee, Christian liked energy drinks, and Becca liked sweet lemon tea. Dawn, the host mom didn’t like winter, and Mark, the host dad, didn’t like summer. After dinner, we would all play Wii Sports together. I was the king of bowling, and Dawn was the queen of tennis. I don’t remember a single time that they argued about the games. Afterward, we would gather in the living room and Danielle would play the piano while the rest of us sang hymns.My subsequent family was the Martinez family, who were companions of the Watkins'. The host father Michael was a secondary school English educator and the host mother Jennifer (who had me refer to her as "Jen") showed grade school. She had as of late conveyed a child, so she was as yet in the clinic when I moved into their home. The Martinez family did nearly everything together. We made pizza together, watched Shrek on their comfortable lounge chair together, and went fishing on Sunday together. On blustery days, Michael, Jen and I would sit on the patio and pay attention to the downpour, discussing our fantasies and considerations. Inside two months I was calling them mother and father. After I completed the international student program, I had the choice of getting back to Korea however I chose to remain in America. I needed to see new spots and meet various individuals. Since I wasn't a student from abroad any longer, I had the opportunity - and trouble - of tracking down another school and receiving family all alone. Following a couple of long stretches of careful examination, I tracked down the Struiksma family in California. They were a remarkable gathering. The host mother Shellie was a single parent who had two of her own children and two Russian little girls that she had taken on. The children generally had something warm to eat, and were dependably behaving as well as possible at home and in school. It would be reasonable to say that this was generally because of Shellie's childhood. My room was on the primary floor, directly before Shellie's boutique, a private venture that she ran out of her home. In the family room were six or seven enormous enhancers and a tremendous crystal fixture swung from the high roof. The kitchen had a bar. Right away, the constant visits from outsiders made me anxious, yet soon I became acclimated to them. I recollect one evening, a couple jumped into my room while I was dozing. It was off-kilter. Following a couple of months I understood we weren't the most ideal fit. In the most pleasant manner conceivable, I let them know I needed to leave. They comprehended. The Ortiz family was my fourth family. Kimberly, the host mother, treated me the same way she treated her own child. She caused me to finish errands: I fixed supper, took care of their two canines Sassy and Lady, and when seven days I cleaned the washroom. I likewise needed to observe a few guidelines: No food in my room, no utilizing the family PC, no lights on after 12 PM, and no ride except if it was a crisis. The principal a few months were truly difficult to become accustomed to, however at last I changed. I lived with the Ortiz family for a considerable length of time like a priest in the profound woodland. Notwithstanding, the host father Greg's asthma deteriorated after winter, so he needed to move to the open country. It was unforeseen and I just had seven days to track down another receiving family. I inquired as to whether I could reside with her until I saw as another home. That is the manner by which I met the Dirksen family, my fifth family. The Dirksen family had three children. They were all unique. Danielle enjoyed harsh dark espresso, Christian preferred caffeinated beverages, and Becca loved sweet lemon tea. First light, the host mother would really rather avoid winter, and Mark, the host father, generally tried to avoid summer. After supper, we would all play Wii Sports together. I was the ruler of bowling, and Dawn was the sovereign of tennis. I don't recollect a solitary time that they quarreled over the games. A short time later, we would assemble in the family room and Danielle would play the piano while most of us sang psalms.

Of course, those 28 months were too short to fully understand all five families, but I learned from and was shaped by each of them. By teaching me English, nine year-old Cody taught me the importance of being able to learn from anyone; the Martinez family showed me the value of spending time together as a family; the Struiksma family taught me to reserve judgment about divorced women and adopted children; Mrs. Ortiz taught me the value of discipline and the Dirksen family taught me the importance of appreciating one another’s different qualities.

Getting along with other people is necessary for anyone and living with five families has made me more sensitive to others’ needs: I have learned how to recognize when someone needs to talk, when I should give advice and when to simply listen, and when someone needs to be left alone; in the process, I have become much more adaptable. I’m ready to change, learn, and be shaped by my future families.