The New Experience

Chapter 2

In hindsight I really should have known this was going to happen. The signs were there. There were ads in the newspaper and commercials on T.V. The signs were there. I just thought even my family would not go that far. Then again they are crazy. I guess there was always a chance they would do it.

The New Experience

That was the name of the program I guess you could call it. Good thing I read about it because I would not have known what my parents were talking about when they finally told me.

The New Experience was a program where a family adopts... well not adopt, but take care of another family's child for a year. The child could be any age and from anywhere in the world. From the United States to some unknown European, third world country, or whatever. They pair a family up with someone's son or daughter that wants to see the world or something. It is supposed to give everyone involved a new look on life. A new experience.

"This could be a good thing." my dad said.

"You guys are really serious aren't you?" Don't you think this is something you tell me before entering? Didn't you think this may affect my life?" I said.

"That's exactly why we are doing it. To improve your life." my mom responded.

"This could ruin my life." I responded quickly and loudly.

"No it won't." my dad said with certainty.

"You guys are always the optimist. You two are crazy. I really think my parents hate me."

"No we don't." my mom said. She seemed to be getting angry. I guess she do not like these little insults I'm using. "We are actually doing this out of love."

Out of love? They don't tell me about this, but it is out of love. What is wrong with these people?

"We sent you somewhere for a long period of time. We want to see how it is to house someone else" My dad added.

"First, that was amongst family. Second, this is on a much bigger scale. This person is from another country. Since it is you two I'm guessing the child is from another country?" I waited. No answer.

You are not looking at the big picture" My mom finally said. "It is all about the experience and knowledge you get from the program."

"Because I had such a wonderful time with the experience I had."

Two years ago when I was fourteen, my parents sent me to live with my uncle, Steve and cousin Mike. Guess what? I didn't even know people in my family owned a farm. Even if my uncle and cousin was on my mother's white side of the family.

My parents sent me there for the whole summer. I mean as soon as school ended. The very next day I was on the train to my unknown uncle's farm. They told me I was leaving on the day before the last day of school. That meant I had to cancel all my plans I had over the summer because 'no' was not an acceptable answer. My parents also forced me to leave my entire electronic items home. They should have said leave fun at home. A summer of no music, Xbox, or handhelds. And it was horrible. My uncle, cousin, and I have nothing in common. Mike was just annoying. Waking up at five a.m. was never any fun, and the labor was brutal. Not to mention the stuff you walk in on a farm.

When I came back I smelled like a farm for at least 2 weeks. I took 2 baths and one shower everyday just to mask the smell a bit. The only good thing that came from that whole summer was getting a little bit of muscle from the hard labor. Other than that I learned nothing making that whole trip a waste of my time and summer.

"It wasn't that bad" my mom said.

"You were not there. Don't tell me how I felt" I told her.

"Steve said you had a good time."