Annette Hochstein’s Story
No distance of place, or lapse of time, can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth. ~Robert Southey
My family and I have just said goodbye to the fifth exchange student that we've hosted through AFS. It is absolutely one of the hardest things to do. Saying goodbye to a young adult that has just spent nearly a year living in our home, is like sending one of our own children away to another part of the world, perhaps forever. The bond that is forged between the student and the host family is stronger than many people ever imagine.
Hosting an exchange student is not without challenges. As a friend of mine once put it "you're taking a teenager from another culture into your home...what can go right??" Well, to answer that question, a lot can go right. Any struggles that are encountered can be an opportunity to learn. And the learning extends off in so many directions. The student learns to live in a different culture, and to adapt to a different family. They learn language skills. They learn how to understand the culture of the area, their host family, and their new peers at school.
However, it's not just the exchange student that learns! Exchange students share a common goal: to experience real life in a different culture. But that's where the similarities end. Each student has been an individual. This is not simply because of the part of the world they came from, but also because of each of their fascinating personalities! Our family has learned how to be understanding of differences, and how to be compassionate. Our children have learned how to share the very core of their existance- their family and their home. They have learned how to be flexible, and how to work through situations to find acceptable solutions for all involved. The exchange student learns these skills as well, which will serve them well throughout their lives.
Several of the students have had family visit us, as well. For example, the last student that we hosted was a lovely girl from Finland. Her family came here at the end of her stay, to attend the wedding of our eldest daughter. We all had a wonderful time, sharing bits and pieces of our lives with people whose paths would have otherwise never crossed. Their experiences here will live on forever. They have returned home now, back to their lives in Finland. But they will tell others at home of their experiences, and of the caring family they encountered. They share their experiences via the internet too, through Facebook and other methods. These positive recounts of their experiences in the United States will create goodwill, and their sentiments will touch so many more people now than could have ever been possible before.
We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our sixth exchange student, next month. When each student leaves, it creates a hole in our hearts. But we keep in touch with them, which is also easier now than ever before, and the bond continues to grow. I am very proud to have host children and extended "family" in many places on this earth. I am proud to have help provide a strong foundation for these young people to grow on, and look forward to continuing on this diplomatic mission of life.