Want proof? I have the best families. Both American and Ecuadorian. They support me, care for me, and are patient with me, which, trust me, is not always the easiest thing. My Ecuadorian family has embraced me as their own, and they understand the struggles of being an exchange student and have helped me every step of the way. From my aunts and uncles to my sibling, they have left the biggest imprint on my exchange. They always know how to put a smile on my face each in their own way. My papá always sings, and my mamá always calls us all crazies, which is not too far from the truth. Ari, my sister, has sang the same song in her loudest singing voice, "No, no, no el coco no." In case you were wondering, that translates to: No, no, no, the coconut no. Fabian, well, I never know what he's gonna do, but it's always funny.
Want more proof? My tía offered to help me make a Thanksgiving feast for the entire family. When I say entire family, that means my host family, my tía and my abuela, my other tía and her husband, their three children and their spouses and their children, and let's not forget my other tío and his wife, four daughters and their spouses and children. So by feast, I mean feast. Although there is no pumpkin here, I get Thanksgiving with my family, and that means more to me than I can say. My tía and I went to our local Wal-Mart and bought the turkey, and we are going to make apple crisp instead of apple pie because quite frankly, apple pie is a LOT of work, and apple crisp is close enough for me.
So although this Thanksgiving will probably be the first Thanksgiving I've ever had where the serving bowl for rice is the same size as the one for the potatoes, I wouldn't want it any other way. I get to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, a different family, but my family none the less.