The new front door

I had volunteered to welcome the exchange student, then spent the afternoon wondering whether the spare room looked unfriendly. The instructions said she spoke some English, which could mean almost anything. I rehearsed a greeting, rejected it as too formal and began again. When her taxi stopped, she was trying to open an umbrella while holding two bags. I went outside to help. The first words between us concerned which bag contained a broken handle. They were not the words I had planned, but they were easy to understand.

In your own words, explain the writer's thoughts and feelings before and at the start of welcoming the exchange student.