In 1990 I decided to study abroad. So I enrolled for an exchange student program in the United States. I had no idea where they would place me, but I had told them I wanted a place with a lot of snow because I wanted to ski. And I happened to meet the Bowdens, in Layton, Utah.
I attended Layton High School as a Junior. I met a lot of people and I made some friends. It's too bad we don't keep in touch most of the time. Actually some of them I haven't heard for a long while. But I still remember all of them. I also met some foreign exchange students from other countries like France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Japan and another brazilian guy from Salvador, Bahia.
My american family was Mormon and attended church every Sunday. I had some trouble with that because I'm not a mormon. I don't have any religion. I have my own beliefs about God and the origins of life. But going to church wasn't bad after all. The LDS (Latter Day Saints) church is a good church and has good beliefs. It's not even close to some stupid stinking churches we have here in Brazil. I will not even mention those churches names but if you are brazilian you probably know which ones I'm talking about. I also made some friends in church. The Bowdens think I hated going to church, but I didn't hate. I just thought I had better things to do on Sundays. The only problem was fast Sunday, when we had to starve the whole day long. I confess I didn't fast all Sundays, but most of them I did.
I really had a very good time when I was there. I had some trouble in the beginning to adjust myself to the american way of living and to the Bowdens. But now I can say I had a great time with them. I really hope I get to see them again.
I still have many things to say (to write, if you are a perfectionist), but I'll have to add them later. So, please wait.
Now, why don't you take a look on the pictures I have taken there. They're nice.