Hosting a high school exchange student can be a rewarding, meaningful and fun opportunity for American families. For example, Pat E., a Local Coordinator and host mother in Michigan, tells us how much enjoyment her family has had hosting two AYA students that have become like sisters.
Pat hosts Carolin, an AYA student from Germany, as well as Natcha, an AYA student from Thailand. In the following submission, she outlines their adventures and some of the many firsts they experienced together.
“Firsts” in Michigan and Tennessee
Carolin and Natcha, or Cartoon as we know her, have had a big experience in coming to America. Carolin is from Germany and Cartoon is from Thailand. They have had a lot of “firsts” here in the states.
Cartoon joined the track team and ran in the local 5k turkey trot. The girls attended the Snow Ball Dance and visited Disney World. We even traveled as close as we could get to Canada without a visa.
While visiting my sister in Nashville, we ran out of gas, but the girls made the best of it. As you can see, they played in the leaves while we waited for someone to stop and help us. Our two host daughters have become like sisters and love sharing their lives and encouraging each other. They have brought a real sense of joy into our lives as their host parents.
If you have space in your home and are interested in joining in the fun and adventure of cultural exchange with AYA, please visit our website to learn more about hosting international high school students. We’re here to help if you have any questions, so please don’t hesitate to reach out for additional information.
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