The Warm Friendship House

At first, when you walk in the neighborhood, you can see the house without really seeing it. It is only a white house like another, an inattentive visitor would not note the poster “Friendship House MSU” and all the cars parked in front of it.

When I came there the first time, I just arrived in the country, as a spouse who cannot work, and I had only heard about a special program, “The International Spouse Connection.” It seemed like an interesting program, and possibly a way to fight loneliness, I decided to try it. I had read in a brochure that it takes place once a week at “Friendship House.” I thought :

Friendship House? That’s a pretty name, but I absolutely don’t know what is it!

I noted the address, and on a Friday afternoon, I took my courage in both hands and I came. The moment I was in front of the house, I felt intimidated. It looked like a real house, I didn’t know if I could enter… When a chance allowed me to forget this feeling: I was ready to give up and to come back home, when a woman with long dark hair opened the door, saw me, and gave me a beautiful, hopeful, incredible smile. Immediately, I felt more confident. I decided to forgot my timidity and talked to her.

.. Sorry?

My poor, shy voice was trembling.

Yes, hello? she answered.

Her voice was warm, it straightaway relaxed me. I said the speech that I was preparing on the road :

.. I’m from France and I’m here because my husband works at MSU… I wanted to see… What happens here.
Sure, you are in right place ! she said without stop smiling. What’s your name?
Justine…
Welcome, Justine! I’m Sandra, from Colombia, and I work here! Please, come in!

I followed Sandra inside the house. The first thing I saw was the cozy living-room, a sofa, a bookcase, a fireplace… A welcoming and comforting feeling fluttered in the air. The place seemed crowded, a lot of people seemed busy in a room behind the fireplace. Some of them turned around, saw me, and smiled at me too. When I am reminded of this moment, I can feel the pleasant warmth in my heart again.

Come with me upstairs, said Sandra.

I followed her in the stairs, and she brought me to a sweet office, pretty as the living-room. She showed me a chair near her desk :

Sit down if you want, we will proceed to your registration and I will answer your questions.

During the process, she gave me a booklet: the magical program of the magical Friendship House. I opened my big eyes when I saw all those classes: they seemed various, interesting, such a good way to socialize and improve my English! After that, Sandra guided me into the house: she showed me in detail the warm classroom, the warm office, the warm living-room, the warm kitchen… Even the bathroom seemed warm and friendly! In the kitchen, women were eating and talking around the table. Sandra offered me a tea and told me that I could have a sit and talk with them. When I took a chair to sit with those people, I didn’t know that it will be the beginning of an era of beautiful meetings. Those women were very nice and cheerful, I spent a wonderful time with those good people who were, for many of them, in the same situation as me, relegated to the position of “spouse.” Vianey, Erika, Mariana, Giulia, Ruba, Sandra… It was more than meeting good people: it was a real cultural exchange. I have seen the map of the world upon the wall of Friendship House, and I realized that people who come there are from a lot of different countries… Mexico, Italy, Venezuela, Jordan, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Ivory Coast, China, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Iraq, Iran, Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil… The cultural mix revealed another strength to this attractive house.

You can come every day, go to all classes you want, and even just sit on the sofa and take a coffee!

When I came back to my place this day, I felt relief and in a strange, pleasurable, sweet mood. When my husband came home in the evening, no sooner than he had open the door, I ran to him :

I have found a wonderful place today!

As soon as the next week, as a lot of people, Friendship House became my second house. I started to take some classes (English, arts, cooking… Interesting subjects and nice teachers makes those classes precious moments), I continued to meet good people, to improve my English, to laugh with others, to share my experience… I also discovered the International Spouse Connection, this program was better, more interesting, more fun than I could imagine: the moderator, Teacher Laura, was an amazing person, such as Kate, her helper for the coordination of the program, and all those people with different stories and cultures… Alice, Sergio, Eslam, Maria, Eunah, Ines, Christy, Jessica, Livia… The number of good people at Friendship is breathtaking.

Several days after my arrival at Friendship House, I met Rich, the director and the collaborator of the great Sandra. If you are looking for the definition of kindness, you don’t need any dictionary: you just have to meet Rich. When I told him the country that I am from, he told me about the wedding of his parents which was in France, the story of his mother who was a nurse in France during World War II… His mother came to Friendship House some weeks later, a kind lady very touching from all her ninety-nine years of age.

At first, when you walk in the neighborhood, you can see the house without really seeing it. The best advice to give to a new student, a new visiting scholar, or a member of his/her family is that: come into this white and warm house, the door is open. Take a coffee or a tea, have a sit in front of the fireplace, talk with people. If you want to take classes for the semester, the twenty dollars that you will pay is a ridiculous price for all this house will offer to you. This is not only a place to improve our English, even if that is a very good way to do it. This is the house of culture. This is the house of sharing. This is the house of a laugh. This is the house of memories. This is the house of warmth.

This is Friendship House.

By Justine Guillet

About the Autor:

Justine is from France, and she is an active volunteer and French Teacher at Friendship House MSU. As a social psychologist, Justine has been supporting Internationals through educational meetings about how to overcome social distancing effects.