The Exchange Student / English Version

1. Arrivals

Harry 

The sunlight enters through the window and wake up Harry gently. He stretches his limbs, straightens up, then falls back into his soft pillows. 

Harry, 18 years old, college student. With his parents, Anne and Robin, and his older sister Gemma, he lives in a posh district of London. His family is one of the most influential and wealthiest in England. Together they live in a whitewashed Villa in Notting Hill. In front of the house entrance there is a circular driveway, which is lined with slender cypress trees. The adjacent, huge garden is colorfully planted and looks neat.

He slowly gets up and goes to the adjacent bathroom. After a long shower, he goes into his dressing room and wears a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. From the basement he hears Gemma laugh loudly. Maria, the maid, calls for breakfast. Quickly he slips into white Converse and jumps down the stairs, always taking two steps. 

The curly head tears the door open to the dining room, in which Maria serves various breakfast dishes.

 "Good morning!", He welcomes his family.

 "Harry, good morning, did you finally get up?" Says his mother and smiles. 

His father looks up from his newspaper for a moment. 

"Mum, it's Saturday and not School. So I can sleep a bit longer, can't I?" He replies and takes a seat. 

His gaze roams over the breakfast table and is fixed on scrambled eggs and baked beans. Hungry, he fills his plate. 

"Harry, don't eat so fast." His father grumbles. 

"What is the schedule for today?", Gemma asks in the group. 

"I would love to go shopping with my friends today." 

With big eyes she looks at her parents and hopes that their plans will not be thwarted. 

"Gemma, does this have to be today? The new exchange student from Pakistan arrives. So it would be nice if we could welcome him as a family,"Interjects Anne. 

"Which exchange student and why from Pakistan?", Asks Harry with his full mouth. 

His sister grimaces.

 "Today of all days.", She moans. 

"I signed up for this exchange project last year, we host a student for a school year, and he goes to college with you, which is wonderful!" Says Anne, smoothing the tablecloth with her fingers.

 "Couldn't it  have been someone from the USA or France?", Counters Gemma. 

"Why Pakistan? The country is totally poor and underdeveloped, and probably the exchange student doesn't even speak English." Harry notes. 

"Harold!", Robin rumbles.

 "I forbid such statements! These are prejudices of the worst kind! " He says.

" Is it a male or female student? ", Gemma now wants to know and save the mood at the table.

" It's a young man. His name is Zayn Javaad Malik. He is in Harry's age. That's all we know, "says Anne.

"John will pick him up from the airport in two hours."

With these words, everyone leave the table and disappear.

Zayn 

My headphones on my ears, I'm sitting on the plane and I'm excited. For a whole school year, I will live with a family in London and attend a college to study English.

 I come from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. My family's  middle class. We're not poor, but we're not very rich either. My parents have raised me lovingly and are saving their money to give us a very good education. We are Muslims who practice our religion, but are not too strict otherwise. I still have three sisters that I already miss. I am very curious about my host family. I hope it is nice and I will have a good time in London. I spend the last hours of my flight sleeping and dreaming about Pakistan.