I Part

Maria de los Angeles Estrada was really excited when she got the letter from the exchange program she applied for a few months ago. AEP, the American Exchange Program, had granted Angeles (that?s how she likes to be called) a full scholarship to go to the U.S.A. for nine months to study and live with an American family. Angeles is the artistic type. She spends a lot of time thinking and thinking about?mostly weird stuff, you know, the artist type of thing. But no, Angeles is not really into the whole bohemian fad if you know what I mean. Angeles is the type of girl who likes to explore things, loves seeing things for the first time. Her parents want her to become a doctor, a medical doctor, but she?she just wants to see where this whole new adventure takes her, and what she?ll get out of it all.

Angeles: Mama! Apurate que se hace tarde, no?
Angeles? Mom: Si, hija. Aqui estan tus maletas?Ya voy! Ya voy!
Angeles? Dad: Esto es todo, no? Estamos listos entonces. Bueno Angeles, despídete de tu casa que no la volverás a ver por los próximos nueve meses.
(Angeles? mom starts crying)
Angeles: Ay mama, mamita, usted sabe que es solo por un tiempecito. Usted mismo dijo que seria una gran oportunidad, no se me ponga asi, no?

At the airport?

Angeles? mom: Bueno mijita, portese bien, coma toda la comida que esa familia le ofrezca, acuerdese de rezar todas las noches y los domingos ir a la misa.
Angeles? dad: Bueno mijita, estudie mucho y demuestrele a todo el mundo lo brillante que usted es. Vaya con Dios mija!
Angeles: Bueno papa, bueno mama?nos vemos pronto. No esten llorando. Los quiero mucho, adios.

At the Miami Airport:

AEP Coordinator: Hello. (pronouncing her name with difficulty and an American accent) Maria de los Angeles, right? Hi, how are you? How was the flight? Did you have any problems with immigration or customs?
Angeles: Oh hello, no I didn?t have any problems.
AEP Coordinator: Oh, I was just asking since a lot of people who come from Colombia have problems with? anyways, look there?s been a slight change of plans.
Angeles: What? Is there a problem?
AEP Coordinator: No, no problem. It?s just a small misunderstanding. You see, someone told you that you were going to be staying here in Miami for the next nine months, but that?s not the case. Since you got a scholarship, you don?t get to stay in ?popular? places like Miami, New York or Los Angeles. Instead, we?ve assigned you a wonderful family in Yorkshire, Connecticut.
Angeles: Yorkshire, Connecticut? Ok, it is cold up there, isn?t it?
AEP Coordinator: Well?not really. It?s August so it?s not cold yet. I bet you?ll love it. The town has a very good education system. It?s got nice houses, nice schools and nice people. Don?t worry Maria? everything will be fine.
Angeles: Angeles
AEP Coordinator: Excuse me?
Angeles: Nobody calls me Maria. My friends call me Angeles.
AEP Coordinator: Oh ok. Well, here is the gate for the flight that will take you to your new family. I believe they will be waiting for you so don?t worry. Everything will be fine. Here?s AEP?s phone number in Connecticut. Give them a call tomorrow.

Boarding Agent: Now we are boarding rows 10 through 20

AEP Coordinator: Oh, I think you have to board now. Have a great flight, ok? Bye bye, Angeles.

At an airport in Connecticut?

Claire Whitman: Oh hello, how are you? I am Claire Whitman, your host mother and this is Joseph Whitman, your host father.
Angeles: Hello. Nice to meet you Claire and Joseph
Joseph: Let me see if I get your name right. (with an American accent) Maria de los Angeles, right?
Claire: Oh, just like L.A., the city. Anyways dear, you must be tired. Let?s get your luggage and get you home.
Angeles: Yes, I?ve been flying for twelve hours. It?s been a long trip.
Joseph: Are you hungry, Maria?
Angeles: Angeles. People call me Angeles. I know?I have such a long name. But no, thanks. I?m not really hungry.
Claire: So you come from Colombia. I?ve heard many things about your country.
Angeles: Good or bad?
Claire: Both, but mostly good. Are you from the capital?
Angeles: No, I?m from a town near Barranquilla. I live very close to the beach.
Joseph: Oh, we have tons of beaches here in Connecticut. You are going to like it.
Angeles: Yeah, I hope so.

Right outside the Whitman?s residence?

Claire: Well, Angeles. Is that how you say it? It?s so strange. We have a city here in America which name is similar to yours.
Angeles: Yeah, Los Angeles.
Claire: Right! L.A. Look, this is our house, which will be yours too for the next few months. How do you like it?
Angeles: It?s so nice and big. You have a very beautiful house.
Joseph: Well, Angeles. Let?s go inside so you can meet Stephanie and Daniel.
Claire: Oh there you are. Stephanie, this is Angeles. The exchange student we talked about.
Stephanie: Hello.
Angeles: Hi, how are you?
Joseph: Oh, and this big one here is Daniel.
Daniel: Hey, howzit goin??
Angeles: Hi. Nice to meet you.
Claire: Well, Stephanie?why don?t you take Angeles to the guest?s room. Angeles, that?ll be your room.
Stephanie: Which guest room, mom?
Claire: Oh, don?t you remember? The one Juanita was cleaning this morning?the one with the back window to the pool.
Stephanie: OoooK. This way what?s your name again?!
Angeles: Maria de los Angeles, but everyone calls me Angeles.
Stephanie: But technically your name is Maria, right?
Angeles: No, it?s a long name. But there are too many Maria?s so I like Angeles better. It?s more unique.
Stephanie: Yeah, I guess. Our last maid?s name was Maria. I guess it?s very popular in your countries.
Angeles: Yes, it is. People name their daughters after the virgin Maria or Mary. It?s a caTHOlic tradition.
Stephanie: Oh, you mean CAtholic. Your English is pretty good. Where did you learn it?
Angeles: Oh, in Colombia we are forced to take English classes from the first grade ?til we graduate from high school. Some of my teachers were English so I got to learn more from there.
Stephanie: What were they doing in Colombia? Teaching?
Angeles: Well, yes and no. They were there to do some research on my country?s situation.
Stephanie: Oh, you mean the drugs and all that. I don?t know that much about Central America, but I saw this movie about drugs coming from those countries.
Angeles: Sure, drugs?that?s all my country has to offer. (Sarcastically speaking). Where?s my luggage?
Stephanie: Oh, Juanita is bringing it up here.
Angeles: Shouldn?t we go help?
Stephanie: No way! That?s her job. She gets paid for this. We, Americans, actually believe in capitalism. The whole you do the job, you get paid type of thing. Look here she is. Juanita, this is Maria.
Angeles: Angeles. My name is Maria de los Angeles.
Stephanie: yeah, whatever! Juanita, this is the student my mom told you about. She?s from one of those countries in the south you came from. Maybe you even speak the same language.
Angeles: Hi, Juanita. Where are you from?
Juanita: De El Salvador.
Angeles: Soy de Colombia. Mucho gusto en conocerla.
Juanita: Ah! igualmente niña.
Stephanie: Oh, so I was right. You two speak the same language. Well, I have to go. Tomorrow, I have a busy day and I gotta get my sleep. Good night!
Juanita: Bueno niña Angeles. Si necesita algo, me dice, esta bien?
Angeles: Donde queda el baño Juanita?
Juanita: Ah, es esa puerta que ve ahi. No esta muy lejos. Por lo menos tiene su propio baño a menos que venga otro invitado, entonces si lo tendra que compartir.
Angeles: Ah, eso no es problema. Gracias Juanita.
Juanita: Buenas noches niña.
Angeles: Buenas noches Juanita.

Although Angeles? English was very good. She felt somehow intimidated by all these people. It was as if they were talking to her with pity or with a superiority feeling. Yes, the Whitman?s were obviously a rich family, but Angeles would think, how rich can be a person who doesn?t even know in what part of America Colombia is. Not only that, but they actually believe their country is the only one that occupies America. Otherwise, why would they refer to it as America, and refer to themselves as Americans. What about Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina? Oh, these are probably just south of America countries which don?t even have their own continent. How absurd!


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