Wilson Family (Taranaki) - March 2017

I don't even know where to start with this. But let's make it easy: actually I just want to say thank you. You all have made my time in New Zealand the best I could have imagined. By the end of my placement now I want to let you know that you're not just my host family. For this year I have been a part of your family and I am proud to say that you feel like a family to me that I never want to miss.

You gave me the opportunity to see even more of your country than you've probably ever seen yourself by including me in your wonderful, gorgeous and lovely family. I don't really know how to express my gratitude to you all. But in the end it wasn't just the four of you that accepted me as a part of your family. Your whole family, parents and siblings, even your friends, accepted me as a part of your family and made me feel more than welcome. You all made me feel like I'm home, you made it my home. I am so thankful to everyone in this big and great family. I want to thank you for all the amazing time you spent with me. You're an amazing, loving and caring family and I am really looking forward for my two families to meet!

Cameron, with your love to being outdoors and projecting this on the boys, you've made me a whole different person compared to what I've been when I arrived. And I mean this definitely in a good way. When I was scared to death in the beginning seeing a spider, I now even accept them as my room mates. I have to say that I got a lot less caring about real unimportant stuff. I feel like I started to see the real and important things in a different light. Thank you!

Steph, I really am not able to tell you how much you mean to me. From the moment I met you at the airport I could tell that we'd get along really good. But what I never expected but what I am real thankful for, is how close we've actually grown in the last 8 months. You've become more than my   host mum. You have become a friend to me in a way that I can't even describe. And I never want to miss you as this friend, because you've become so important to me. I will miss the afternoons after work when Liam was sleeping and we just had an hour long talk about everything and of course our movie nights at home. You've always had an open ear for me and always a solution for my problem. You understood me in this year like no one else and I am so grateful for everything you've done for me. Thanks to you, this job did definitely not feel like a job.

Isaac and Liam, you boys are so lovely and kind kids. Although you're both real similar having a desire for being outdoors, you balanced the time I spent with you so good!

Isaac, you are the smart boy, who rather does some puzzles or reads a book. But you also love it to be outside. I still can't believe you can do more tricks on your bike than me! But this is actually no surprise because I am happy to even ride my bike with no hands, when you stand up on your bike, do jumps and even stand on the seat! I am so proud of you Isaac. I will never forget the evenings when we started riding our bikes out on the concrete trying to help Liam ride his own bike or you just trying out new jumps or tricks that you could do! We've had so much fun tricking each other and playing wrestling in the lounge, I will miss the sound of your laugh when you realised that you tricked me again. You will always have a spot in my heart! I love you so much!

Liam, you are the boy that one can always find outdoors, no matter if the sun was shining or if it was raining, you didn't care. You are always outside and this is what I love about you. You do your own thing no matter what! I will never forget how much laughs we had and what we did together. If we went outside in the garden to dig some dirt, went to kindy gym, the library, or the park, mainly music, on the playground or whatever we could think of, we've always had fun and we've always been busy! And of course something we can't miss here: Your cuddles! I don't know what I am going to do when I don't get to cuddle you anymore. You definitely give the best cuddles in the world! Love you to the moon and back, my big boy! I am such a lucky girl that I got to spent so much time with you all. I really love you and will miss you heaps! Thank you for everything. And P.s.: I really hope you'll come visit me one day in Germany! But I definitely know that I am going to do everything to be able to see you all again one day!

Love, Luise.