by Kelsey, Tufts 1+4 Participant
Sandra, thank you for taking me into your home with open arms.
Thank you for being patient with my Spanish and letting me take forever to say one sentence because I’m conjugating in my head. You encourage my to keep trying even when I make mistakes. Thank you for letting me have space when I need it, but always making sure I feel included when we do things with our extended family.
Thank you for your sympathy when I am homesick, and taking me out to get ice cream to cheer me up. Thank you for drying my tears and listening to me patiently. For putting into google translate phrases like “everything will be ok, we are here for you, we care about you, you are strong” when I could not understand Spanish.
Thank you for the tough love and incredibly sound advice you give me. Sometimes I need someone to tell me to stop crying, and you manage to do it in an incredibly understanding and supportive way. I am consistently Impressed by you and look up to you more than you know.
Thank you for including me in family traditions such as drenching me in cold water for carnival, or staying up all night on Christmas eve so we can say “Feliz Navidad!” right at 12:00. Thank you for spending lazy Sundays with me watching movies. Thank you buying exotic fruits for me to try, and trying to learn how to cook vegetarian dishes for me. Thank you for every conversation, every meal and every adventure we’ve had together. Thank you for making me feel like I am part of the family.
You prioritize those you love in all you do. You work incredibly hard to run your own business and support your family as a single mom. You are incredibly strong, and you remind me that I can be too.