Originally Posted by olebat
Originally Posted by dglvr
Originally Posted by olebat
We've hosted 18 exchange students. Seventeen of them were WONDERFUL. Each one, including #18, brought new joys into our home. Even though we selected students with family compatibility, once they got here, and involved with other students, they did less of the things we thought we'd share. However, we shared their new things with them, and learned even more. It's a life enriching experience. Enjoy.
Wow you've had lots of exchange students. Cool. Where were they from? This is my second. Last year I had one from Austria and this year Sweden. The one from Austria was extremely lazy (has a maid at home) but other than that she was great. I enjoyed taking her on trips. She had a map and marked all the places we went. Even though we are in such a small town she made lots of friends and really enjoyed her stay.
I would like to get one from Australia but their school year is different than ours. I would have to get one in January (I think its Jan.) and they'd do a 1/2 year of one school year and be here all summer then to the first 1/2 of the next year. I have 2 spare bedrooms so I'm going to check into it further with my coordinator. Have you had one from Australia? I can't wait for Siri (from Sweden) to get here. I'm not sure when that will be yet. I'm getting excited. I have her on Facebook so its been fun chatting with her. We don't have other kids here so they are only children (besides my dogs) when they come. Norina (from Austria) enjoyed all the attention :thumbup:
Several from Germany, all parts, including a couple from the former East, Croatia, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, that general area. Our girl from Moldova is a boomerang. She came back to go to college. She'll graduate in two more semesters. She has stayed on the Dean's list, and is Phi Kappa Phi. Majoring in Political Science and Anthropology, thinking seriously about Law at Duke. (She wants Hillary Clinton's job, seriously - she could probably do it.) Missed the luck of the draw last week with the Green Card Lottery. She really needs a job for the year before grad school to give her mind a little break. Any kind of practicum in any of those fields would make her extremely happy. Something in International relations. The struggle we're all having is that she doesn't have that Green Card. But such a pleasure to see the girl we hosted, in High School, from a poverty nation, turning out to be such a professional young woman.
Went to Germany last summer for the marriage of #7 son, and visited with several of our other "children", meeting our "grand children" for the first time. Have an opportunity to go to a conference in the Check Republic in two years, which will give us an opportunity to see several of the other "kids" and their families. Conference - great excuse for a tax deduction.
Holy cow. What a great story about your Moldova girl. I love to hear that someone can come from such a background and want more out of life and goes for it. She went full steam ahead. I hope she does get Hillary's job. Sounds like she'd be good at it. Wonderful. I'm so glad you get to go to Check Republic. My Austrian girl was about 1/2 mile from that border.
What fun. I've not been there but maybe someday. I'm in Washington State so it would be a loooong flight. Wish I could go with ya. :thumbup: