I have actually not seen Eric this week due to a bad cold I have been carrying around. I did make it to all of my classes, but after class each time the cold set me back and hit me hard.
I did not want to expose Eric and when I called him up with my raspy voice, he was so compassionate. He is a really sweet and intelligent guy.
He called me back a couple of days later and wished me speedy recovery. His vocabulary was excellent, just his pronunciation and his intonation a bit off.
I have been a bit concerned about him however, as he called me last Saturday night in a bit of an emotional state. He seemed quite lonely and homesick. It was a Saturday night and he was home alone. He talked about how he needed a car. Also he talked about how expensive his apartment was and how expensive to cost of living is here. He seemed a bit discouraged.
I listened with patience and reached out to him. I said that it was normal to experience this culture shock - I very well understood. I also assured him that things will get better and that we would talk about his situation when we meet again.
I thought to hook Eric up with a student housing agency, that could get Eric a room on or close to campus, so that he is not dependant on having to take the bus every day. It also would be nice for him to live with a family. My experience as an exchange student was always with families. I felt taken care of and had company and amusement. This is something the exchange program could/should provide for their foreign students.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to help Eric?
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