Chapter 3 - classes start

After a few months adjusting to the culture, Sami was finally ready to start challenging himself more intellectually. Already close friends with Allison and Craig, he was quickly accepted into the cool group at school. Everyone thought he was funny and his slowly disappearing accent charming.

Allison and Craig continued to work out at the gym together after class. In the afternoons Sami would hang out with friends, usually having a snack. In late October he and a bunch of his new guy friends decided that it would be fun bowling. They went to the bowling alley where he had his obligatory cheeseburger. Before playing the game, he had to get bowling shoes. He told the cashier that he thought he was a size 11. The shoes were uncomfortably tight, so he traded them in for pair of size 12s which were less tight. (The next time he tried 13s which fit perfectly.) The guys loved bowling and it quickly became a usual hang out.

Allison continued to tease Sami for his small appetite, not realizing that his baggy sweats were hiding his changes. Eating like an athlete in training without the exercise was having a big effect on his body, but Sami was so happy with his American life he did not care. Plus the doctor had told him that he was borderline underweight.

Halloween marked the beginning of regular season training for the basketball team. Allison was particularly happy with her off season training---she had put on nearly 20 pounds as her bodyfat percentile stayed the same. When the team was measured she was also delighted to have grown two more inches. As a 6'2 woman her 160 pounds still gave her room to put on more muscle next season. Craig was still 6'4, and had only gained 10 pounds...but he was also happy because he had gone from a soft 18% bodyfat to a fit 12% bodyfat.

Although at 5'7 not tall enough to make the team, Sami cheered on both Allison and Craig. He would also eat with the men's team after practice and games. Craig was impressed that Sami had finally learned how to eat like an American, and also noticed that he seemed softer and happier than when he arrived. One day when the team was practicing he stepped on the scale. At 161 pounds he was finally the same size as Allison. He did not say anything to her---he wanted to wait until he could tease her for being 10 pounds lighter. He liked the way he looked and loved the food.

The whole family gathered for Thanksgiving. Everyone felt that the occasion was special because it was the first time Sami would experience the meal in the United States. Seated next to Allison she noticed that Sami could comfortably keep up with her eating. That weekend the family went to Tahoe for early season skiing. Allison was surprised when she overheard Sami telling the rental shop he was 167 pounds. He looked softer, but could not possibly outweigh her. After skiing all day Craig, Allison and Sami went to the hot tub. Sami got into the hot tub first. Allison noticed that his arms looked quite soft. When Sami got out of the hot tub she was quite surprised to see the beginning of a belly on her formerly skinny friend. She thought about saying something, but was actually a little excited. When she made it upstairs, Sami was eating ice cream right out of a pint container. She wondered if Sami noticed his changes.