This page is dedicated to one of the most important persons in my life. I met her January the 12th 1995, she was going to be my "host mother" for the next 6 months. At that time I was 17, I had already been alone abroad, but not for so long and in Karen I found one of the most helpful people, always ready to listen to me. I remember once I asked her if we could talk, we sat on the couch and I cryed and said "I guess the way I feel is called Cultural Shock" and she understood that I was homesick and sort of lost. She gave me a hug that I still remember. Since that day I knew I could rely on her. I've so many memories about the months we spent together: how she helped me to get ready for my first day of Seniors' Year at Paris High School, when we went to the rodeo and ate a big bag of chips, when she took me to the photographer for my Senior pictures, when we went to the hospital in Fort Smith to visit Rayf, when we went canoing on the Malberry river, when we drove to Memphis, when she dressed up my hair for the Prom and made all those beautiful pictures, when she took my parents to the Graduation and the dayly life we did share for 6 months.
Last time we met was in February 1996, in Venice, Italy... so much time is gone by, but we still write each other as often as we can. At the beginning I used to consider her as "host mom", but since I left USA and since we started writing to each other, we became close friends. I wish everyone could meet such a nice person, such a real friend. I know that our friendship will last forever, in spite of the 12.500Km (7,812 Miles) between us!