Sending small messages to more than five continents and ten countries could be extremely hard. But finding the people who would respond to my messages with open hearts and a loud "YAS!" to something that I had to say was a piece of cake. Having those strong connections made my last few nights light with happiness, because I was reminded through my friends' words, reactions, and pictures that the future really does belong to those of us who care about making it a better place to live for all. We all shared one similar past during our time as exchange students in the United States in the school year of 2014-2015. We said "Yes" to a new life that was full of new adventures and wild experiences. We agreed to cross the Atlantic and the Pacific, because we strongly believed in our power, future, and in our own selves. Age was not an obstacle, for we drew an amazing picture of America. Yet the most important parts of this whole year were and forever will be: our Host Families.
Imagine, just imagine for a second this scene; entering a stranger's home, with a pounding heart, and a smile that hopes for a great friendship that shall be made with those people who trusted you and welcomed you into their lives. You smile, and they smile. Then you remind yourself that that is where you will be staying for ten months.
The ten months pass as fast as a bullet, and your heart starts pounding again, because you're now too scared to leave them. They're not strangers anymore, they're not even your friends, because they become your second family. Their house is your second home where you created memories with laughter or happy tears. Their country literally becomes your second country as you will forever remember its streets, buildings, hills, mountains, lakes, and rivers. Now tell me, if that is not a beautiful destiny to look forward to, a great present to live, and a wonderful past to remember, then what would be?
I sent messages to many of my friends across the globe to share with me their experiences with their host families, because we all felt like they deserve to be appreciated. A lot of them responded even though our time zones were completely different, and it was either really early in the morning or late at night when they read my messages. Their excitement about this was a reminder to all of us that love is stronger than anything else in the world. Since we are not in front of our American Families to say the following to their faces, we strongly hope that the power of our words will reach their hearts faster than any other airplane.
Elena Pankratova, Russia:“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” That’s what I tell myself every time I look back and remember the months we spent together. Hiking in the waterfalls, getting “magic water”, enjoying being a sous chef and just talking about everything in the world. Your confusion when you found out that the Russian flag isn’t “the red one, with a hammer” and my embarrassment when I accidentally bumped into the screen door… Every time I think of you, a different memory appears in my mind and makes me smile. Thank you. Thank you for taking me as an exchange student, even though I asked you for it so unexpectedly. Thank you for letting me be a part of your family. Thank you for being you.
Elody Testud, France: Thanksgiving was the best par of my adventure. We cooked all together, i even helped to stuff a turkey! This tradition was for me the best of all American tradition ! I cooked a Strawberry pie because I wanted to bring something from where I come From ! (France) this pie was honestly a disaster but I loved doing it and sharing it with my heart's family. Before the dinner we did THE tradition, the one on the TV! "Why are you thankful for?". I thought about it and was so shy, I just told them: You can not imagine how grateful I am to be part of this family I love you guys. Everybody said something, my host mom wrote us letters... We all ended up crying of happiness! We ate like crazy I almost threw up on my plate!!! After the dinner we started to decorate the house for Christmas. American Christmas! Biggest tree ever!! Well honestly biggest everything ever!!
Nhan Nguyen (AKA: Tino), Vietnam: "My host family is unique" - that's what I believe most exchange students, including me, would say whenever they are asked about their exchange year. I really love them as my natural family and I also love my host brother - another exchange student from Morocco. I would recommend anybody who is thinking about hosting: hosting somebody in your house and loving them as a family member of yours is hard, but it is worth trying. Any exchange students in the future should be aware that they are very lucky to be hosted and stay in the US for a memorable year. In my case, this year is is one of the best in my whole life!Lea Milkereit, Germany: I wanted to be an exchange student since I'm ten and the U.S. Always fascinated me. I wanted to experience the way of life and understand how the Americans think and feel. My host family made this dream of mine possible and opened their doors and hearts for me. The treated me and my double placement like family and showed us great love and support. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest things I did in my life and I will forever be grateful for what they did. We still are in contact and I hope this carries on for a long time. I truly miss them and hope to see them again soon. Exchange is not just about the academics. It's about building relationships, acceptance, building your own opinion, personal growth and belonging. Hosting matters a lot. Welcoming a student from abroad into your home will not only open your house doors but also your hearts and minds to things you never knew existed. I love my host family a lot and miss them greatly.Birce Gen, Turkey: My host family and I shared lots of memories. They have became a real important part of my life. They were with me in my worst and best times. We both saw how we grew up together. It's a life long experience. Exchange year is not only one year, it has effected my life in every single way. It changed me a lot, and I don't have any regrets. And I would like to say thanks to my host family for supporting me through my exchange year. It's awesome to see the positive change. It's adorable to have a family 6000 miles away. It's wonderful to know a complete different culture. So if you think you want to share your culture, family, traditions, host an exchange student! Bring the world to your house. It's a must-have experience!Mai Essam, Egypt: When I was asked to write something about my year abroad, I immediately said yes I'm going to write something for sure! But then I was really confused to choose something specific to write about cause all my memories with you are perfect. I couldn't choose from my memories of my first day at school or when we traveled to Washington DC or to Maine or to Switzerland or to Italy or to Florida. I couldn't say which was better my first Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas. So I chose to write about my whole experience! I think no matter what I say I can't give you what you really deserve as you deserve so much more than just words! I'm eternally thankful for what you've done and what you're still doing for me! I'm so proud of my year abroad and of all my achievements there! But I know that I couldn't do half of it without your support! I'm glad to call Marti my dad, Penny my mom and Hannah my sister! To cut long story short, I couldn't wish for a better family to be part of! I really miss our cooking, baking, shopping, travelling, laughter and crying together! I really miss all of you and I know that you miss me too but I also know that someday I will see you again and I'm waiting for that day!
Rana El-Keshki, Egypt: The McCarthys, Maybe when my host mom introduces me to people as her daughter or when my host sister tells people this is my sister, people find it strange, but during my exchange year my host family weren't just people that I live with, no, they were like my second family, they changed me and hopefully I changed them. they showed me their lives, traditions, memories and how to be an american!! My exchange year would be nothing without my host family, the most thing that I loved bout my host family and one of the things that they chose me for is that they are outgoing and they love to travel and visit different places just like me, we went to different states and saw different monuments, museums, plays and MUSICALS!! being a host family won't just change your life and introduce you to someone with a different culture and show you her/his traditions, food and details about their country that you can't find in books, it will change this exchange student's life, will show them the real america and the real american family, will put that small american person in them and change the way they live and the way they look at the world!!Tataa Fricillia, Indonesia: #WhyHostingMatters
Back in my home country, Indonesia, hosting an international student is not a popular thing. That's why every time I told them that I lived with an American host family during my exchange year in the US, they are a bit surprised. Why? Because we all know that it's not easy to accept a 'stranger' in our house and live with him/her for a year. I'm personally really amazed with every single host family who are brave enough to take this opportunity. Like I said in the beginning, it's not easy! But I never heard from any host family saying that they regret hosting a student in their house. Not even once! I finally come with a question, what's really fun about hosting us (exchange students)? I asked my host mom the reason that makes her love having student in her house, and she said because I am funny and full of energy while it was HER who always brighten my day and cheer me up when I was down. I asked my host dad the same thing, and he said because he learns something new every time we talk while it was HIM who always taught me new things. This program has successfully gave us the opportunity to build a long-lasting relationship with 'strangers'. I believe that host family is one of the most important thing about this program because we learn about each other for a year. We live together and we made tons of sweet memories that will never be forgotten. Even a million thank you(s) are not enough for everything that my host family and another host family did to make all of this happened! Sometimes, they don't realize how important they are. So, I want to thank every host family who already gave us some space in your house, your life, and your heart. We do appreciate you!Nayera Samara, Israel (Arab Communities):
I am Nayera Samara from Israel (Arab communities) I was hosted in Lakeville, Minnesota with a wonderful american host family. the host family had 5 members which were the mom- Mary Armstrong the dad- Robert Armstrong, two daughters and a son ( Daniel, Katherine and Esther Armstrong) The minute I met them they were welcoming, the minute I met them I knew that were getting there, were getting to making peace happen because of them initiating hosting me and because I chose to be an exchange student, I lived with these “different” people for 10 months we shared culture habits and traditions I am pretty sure that we both learned that people differ from each other yet we all have one common interest which is peace, most people to live together just need to be kind and polite, no matter the race,color,religion etc.. in conclusion I would like to say that I learned a lot and my host family learned a lot too we made it work we both lived in an international house and it was amazing. best experience of my life. Thanks to my Host community for having me, it was a great year.Bouchra Bouguerra Zina, Tunisia:I remember the day I first landed in Florence, SC and my host mom couldn't stay with me for more than fifteen minutes because she had to go to work and leave me with the thought that she didn't really care about me. I remember the first time I rode with her and I spilled my large Coke in her car and I started thinking that she's going to kick me out of her home. I remember my first week with my host sister when we would get super bored and start face painting or playing video games. I remember our countless dirty jokes and the pranks I played on her just to see her half-angry-half-amused face. I remember the day my double placement joined us and had the funniest "first day at Walmart" experience ever. I remember our trips, our movie nights, our campout, even our little arguments and silly conversations. It's all in the back of my mind and in the center of my heart, laying down peacefully waiting for a song or a picture or a simple word to revive and ignite my memory with unforgettable flashbacks. It's been a while now but I still can't believe that I get to call this family mine. I still can't believe the awesomeness of complete strangers becoming a tremendous part of my being and an incredible story in my life. I still can't believe the terrific beauty of being accepted, loved and taken complete care of by people who are not blood-related to me and haven't known me for as long. And most of all, I still can't believe that if some day, I get kidnapped by big blue aliens who instantly take me on their huge hexagonal space ship just to realize after a few hours that I'm no more than a little peaceful Tunisian girl so they throw me out of their window and wooop! I land in Florence, SC! I have a home I can crawl to. I have a bed I can rest on, a kitchen I can eat in and a shower where I can sing with my ugly edgy voice. I have arms that would hold me and lips that would kiss my cheek. I have a mom and a sister. I have a family. I have a home. Thousands of miles away. 5 -hour shift. On the other side of the ocean. But on the left side of my lungs. In my heart, giving me the warmest feeling ever. The feeling of belonging, the feeling of having a home.“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together”, well said by WOODROW WILSON. My life also stands on this one principle, well my name is Sohaib ur Rahman , an alumni from YES PROGRAM 2014-2015 (K L YES12)BELONGING FROM PAKISTAN. What really means friendship to me? That question is always raised in my mind when look in the past last year, having an awesome family, who welcomed me their home and their hearts. Family with their devotion to make my one year memorable. First as I introduce my family, I still remember the point when I reached my state MISSOURI from D.C orientations, I was told that I was permenanately placed with a family that I had no clue of. Scared and nervousness was high on my mind, still remember the moment when I met them in the for first time and my mom quickly asked ”sohaib, you can’t eat pork, so what would you like to eat today?”, I know it might not be important to a lot of people but for me it showed how my family worried for me instead of not even knowing me. My family has total 7 kids but 3 of the best siblings only lived at home. My two sisters and one brother, Kelsey, Kenzie and Shawn. Well my bonding with Kelsey is more as compared to other as we are the same age. My awesome mom and dad, mom was the utmost to let me experience the American life to the end, from letting me experiencing different sports to travelling and cooking and more, as relating the fact my father was a professional D.J , and I know he did let me experience the music to the most. As I encounter these small memories I made with this awesome family, learning from elders , grandparents, which on the side my grandma is coolest one. My Exchange year has been a blessing to this family “SUTCLIFFE FAMILY”. I have the most love for them. Thanks for making my year remarkable..love from sohaib Pakistan YES 12
These were my friends who come from eleven countries and three different continents, and this is my own story:I believe that the reason why I decided to write this blog post from the first place was because I really felt like host families not only in the United States, but also in the whole world deserve to be recognized by the students whom they call: their kids. We all shared many things that united us as a family, and we witnessed the true love that doesn't require shared blood and genes. I am beyond thankful to call the Widmann-Leight Family as my second family. They made me grow as a person and a responsible young adult. I still remember my excitement when upon petting Leo and Titan for the first time, when I had my first list of chores, when I touched real snow! I'll always remember the long walks, and the delicious American/Italian cooking. It seems unreal to actually realize that this year is over, but we all know that the future has a lot of great things waiting for us. Our future shall always depend on our positive attitude which was gained throughout our exchange year.I don't know what to add, because if those words are not enough, then I'm sure that our big smiles are. We love you guys, we love our American families, and we thank you all so very much for everything you've ever done and still doing to us. This is exactly #WhyHostingMatters, because our journeys did not stop when we left the States, they have just begun.
-Razan Farhan Al-Aqil
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