""I could understand the language somewhat, but I was terrible about speaking it. My accent was terrible. People could not understand me," Deiaco-Smith said."
""The more I repeated myself, the more frustrated I got and the more hopeless I felt. I was about ready to break down in tears because I just really needed that package from home," Deiaco-Smith recalled."
""She stepped in and she looked at me and said, in English, 'Can I help you?' And she spoke to the attendant, and within two minutes, the package was in my hands.""
""My mom had sent me a care package, and in that care package I knew she had sent Skippy peanut butter, which, at that point, I could not find anywhere in France.""
Holly Deiaco-Smith, at 19, faced overwhelming loneliness while studying in France due to language barriers. Despite understanding French, her speaking difficulties led to frustration. A care package from home, containing Skippy peanut butter, provided hope. However, when she struggled to communicate at the post office, a French woman named Chantal Jouve intervened, assisting her in retrieving the package. This act of kindness not only resolved her immediate issue but also led to an invitation for dinner, helping alleviate her feelings of isolation.
Read at www.npr.org
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