What would it be like to welcome a teenager from halfway around the world into your home? Could you navigate language barriers, cultural differences, and homesickness, all while sharing meals, holidays, and everyday life? Lewis Cass families welcome foreign exchange students into their homes every year. Some may wonder why they do what they do and what they get in return, but to be honest, it goes both ways. Not only do the foreign exchange students get the benefits of coming to the United States, but so do the host families. The host families get to become culturally diversified and learn about different religions, traditions, and the cultures of different countries. It truly is an incredible experience.
This year, my family decided to host Paula Pons Barca from Spain. We have already learned so much about her and her country, and she has only been here for a couple of weeks. Paula was asked what some of the biggest differences between Spain and Indiana are, and she responded with, “The biggest difference is how the school and sports work.”
Obviously, there were some adjustments that Paula had to make due to the huge differences between Spain and Indiana. Mrs. Guy, the junior high counselor here at Lewis Cass, also hosted Laura from Spain (2023-24), and she was asked what some of the challenges were and she said, “ In my personal experience some challenges could be: language and cultural differences, differences in religious views and food, homesickness, adjustments for both the host family and exchange student and building relationships between the host family members and exchange student. While we had a wonderful experience with our exchange student, things were not perfect. Laura came over at the age of 15; most Americans could not imagine leaving their country and staying in another country for almost a year. This being said, the way of life is different here and is something both the students and families have to navigate. Mrs. Guy continued, “We had never had to parent a teenager, let alone someone else’s teenager. It was odd to set rules for someone who was not our child, but we were in charge of her for a full school year. We also kept an open mind to be empathetic to what our exchange student must be feeling or experiencing because it can be a big adjustment to come to the U.S as well.” As Mrs. Guy said, it is a learning experience and it takes time, and with hosting someone you have never met before, it can be a challenge, but in the end it is an overall good experience, and an experience you will think about for a lifetime.
As someone who is hosting a foreign exchange student this year, I know that this experience will be something I remember for the rest of my life. This is an opportunity that some will never get to experience, so I will not take it for granted. I have already learned so much about the differences and similarities between Spain and the U.S, and this has been a privilege. As someone who lives with a foreign exchange student, I had to make adjustments so we both could be satisfied with each other. For example, my family and I renovated our home this summer, so in the process of doing this, I had to prepare my bedroom to fit two people instead of one. We had to find foods and products that both Paula and I would enjoy, and this has required sacrifices for both. When asked what some of the adjustments Mrs. Guy had to make, she said, “We had to arrange our schedule around being available to go to our exchange student’s activities/sports. I also don’t like to stay up late at night and would find myself waiting up to make sure our girl got home safely. As a parent, you don’t know if your own kids are going to bond well or get along with the exchange student either. Financials can become an issue as well because you have an extra kid in the house to provide food for, etc.” My family also had to adapt to these changes. “I don’t feel we had to make too many adjustments because our exchange student was a good fit with our family, but I would say keeping an open mind and open line of communication, and expectations is good to start with. Lastly, an adjustment was when it was time for Laura to go home! It was so hard to say goodbye because we did not know when we would see her again. However, we were lucky she got to come visit for a week recently. It is hard because they can become another member of the family.”
All in all, hosting a foreign exchange student is an incredible opportunity and will be an unforgettable experience. It allows you to learn a ton about other cultures, religions, and ways of life in different parts of the world. It will change your life and be something you carry with you for the rest of your life. Mrs Rush, varsity cross country coach and past exchange host mom, added, “It has helped me talk slower. It has been a good worldly experience, and when we had ours (Sophie), we did more stuff intentionally as a family. From the team’s perspective, I learn from them about how they feel about being in a positive team atmosphere, and it helps me become a better coach to all of my athletes.” Not only does this experience benefit the hosting family, but the foreign exchange students who get to live the American life in the most accurate way. This experience will impact many lives and will hopefully make our communities more culturally diverse.
