With just under four months left in the 2014-15 school year, foreign exchange student organizations are looking for host homes for 2015-16 school year. I say exchange!
Or in my case, just welcome. I don’t have a student at home to exchange with anyone. In fact, having never had children myself, except for the retriever mutts and the surly cat I call my kids, hosting an exchange student never even crossed my mind, that is until last December when I was approached by a friend who had a compelling story of a 15-year-old young man from Germany who had been in Everett since August in a home that wasn’t working out. Taking everything I could think of into consideration I refused, after all, there are no kids at my house, I work erratic hours, that make for questionable meal times and I am overloaded in volunteer work.
Thanks, anyway.
The next call from an interim host family asking me to reconsider was even more compelling. This family was committed to the young man’s placement no matter how long it took, he could couch surf with them as their home was full and it even included another exchange student. I was a little more open minded this time in thought process, I have the space, I live seven blocks from the high school and suddenly I had the support of so many friends and acquaintances. I was floored! Friends I hadn’t been in touch in a while now surfaced, and the realization that I actually do know people with students at Everett High or other high schools locally was sinking in.
Admittedly, I was intrigued. I spent five years in the 1990s living in the Black Forest region of Germany. The idea of rekindling a relationship with the German language would give me the courage to talk to my German friends with a bit of confidence. Well perhaps.
I contacted the agency, filled out the background check information, a personal bio, provided photos of my residence and an address book full of references. Six, actually, but more than you need to if you are a married couple. Within a few days I was the proud sponsor of a German kid living in Everett who is enjoying his life!
He has made lots of friends, keeps busy long-boarding (with a helmet) playing group Mindcraft, Skyping and hanging out at the local pizza joint. He is independent and bright and a good student. I will miss him when he goes home in June, and I am truly enjoying the experience.
Exchange! I couldn’t recommend it more.
Andrea Tucker lives in Everett.
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