Elvira

Last weekend I had one of the coolest opportunities! The Martinsen's signed up to take in a student from China for 3 weeks. They were going to be in Utah for the first few days she was here, so I got to pick her up and spend a few days with her.

She is the most amazing 15 year old! She speaks English very well, and has the cutest smile.

Josh and I entertained her the best we could by swimming lots in the pool, teaching her "Speed Scrabble", and taking her a couple of times to get her favorite American food..... yes..... a hamburger! We even played "Elvira" by the Oakridge boys for her once we picked her up. She thought that was the best thing ever that there was a song named after her!

We took her to Whataburger on Saturday. I wasn't very hungry, so I got a small Jr. Burger. Josh ended up getting the same thing. I ordered Elvira the #1 which is of course a regular, fries and drink. When the food came over, there were 2 small burgers, and 1 HUGE burger! She was SOO mad at me when she found out the big one was for her! She said... "April, next time you order, you order what you get for me too!" I don't think she cared too much once she dove into it and ate every bite! What a gal!

I learned a lot of Chinese words, but the phrase I seem to remember is "OOOHH I NEEE" which is I LOVE YOU!

I did find myself thinking about all the things we take for granted. Walking into a grocery store with so many varieties of things to choose from! She said our store was so much bigger then the ones back home.

She had asked me how I had payed for my gas without walking in to the station to give the worker any money. I explained the whole debit card thing to her and thought wow.... We just swipe a card and it takes it out of our account! What kind of place is this! Makes me very thankful for the things we do have available here, and for the first time, after talking with her, I finally understood what it meant when people said they came to America for opportunities. There is no other place like it on earth.

I wish I was a better writer so I could put into words just how I felt and how much I learned spending those few days with her.

A group of them wanted to go Shopping!! Oh what smiles!
Elvira LOVES the Martinsen's dog Higley. It took a couple of days, but Higley warmed right up to her.