Many host families wonder if they’ll see their exchange students again after they depart, but saying goodbye doesn’t always mean it’s the end! We’ve gathered several sweet stories about host families reuniting with their students, further strengthening the bond between them. Whether it’s flying across the world to them or planning a trip together here in the US, it’s all about the lasting relationships that continue long after the student returns home, proving that goodbye is really just a “see you later”!
Host mom, Nicole from Michigan, says, “My very first exchange student, Teera from Jordan, who was a part of the YES program (Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program sponsored by the US Department of State), is doing a semester abroad in college in Paris, and my exchange student from last year, Meline from France, goes to high school in Paris. When they announced the Taylor Swift concert in Paris, I bought tickets, and it worked out really well. We all went to the concert together and it was awesome!”
Right image: Nicole (left) with Teera (right) and Meline (center) at a market in Paris!
Nicole continues, “We really, really enjoyed it, and it was funny. They were so happy, and it was such a memorable experience. It was also fun to see my first student and my most recent exchange student meet and hang out. Seeing them side-by-side and noticing how similar but different they are, you realize all kinds of students can do well in your house!”
Host mom, Shannon from Georgia, says, “When we lived in Nebraska, we hosted Quentin from Belgium in the fall of 2017. We had an amazing hosting experience with him. The way he always made time for my daughter, Jadyn, and his passions and dreams, and the determination to see things through, was truly inspiring! Quentin was only able to stay for one semester, and we were sad to see him go. The following summer, his family had planned a western US national park visit. My family had a similar summer trip planned, and we took a few days’ trip to meet together in Bryce Canyon in July 2018. It was great to meet his parents and sister.”
Shannon continues, “In December 2023, Quentin took a 2-hour train to hang out with me in Frankfurt! Next month, his family will be traveling the east coast, and we will meet up in Orlando. Quentin will be able to stay with us for a few days during his trip while his family continues to Indiana to meet up with his sister’s host family. We are so lucky to have opportunities to connect and fortunate to have the relationship that we do.”
International Coordinator, Elizabeth from Colorado, says, “It was really cool to visit Bilal in January. He was a part of the YES program (Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program sponsored by the US Department of State) in 2021-22! His family was very excited because almost no one goes to Pakistan. His mom didn’t speak English, and when I went to visit, it was really cute because his sister is learning English, so she was so excited to translate. It was just really sweet to be there. His mother, especially, was so excited that I was there. She cooked for us and it was really, really special just to visit his home and meet his family, his cats, and see all the stuff that he talked about while he was in America.”
Elizabeth continues, “It was also fun to see Bilal in his natural element and have him drive me around, as he was in my car pool during his exchange year. It was surreal to be in the same position in the car passenger seat, but with him actually driving. In Pakistan, they drive on the other side of the road, and driving there feels like a free-for-all video game, so his driving skills are pretty impressive. Despite this, we all fell into the same rhythm as before. He wouldn’t let me pay for anything, which was very sweet. He took total care of me. It was pretty wonderful.”
Host mom, Dawn from Oregon, says, “I went to Croatia and saw Elisa, my Italian exchange student. It was like no time passed, as if we had just seen each other yesterday! There were lots of happy tears. I also got to meet her parents, so seeing the people who let me have their daughter for nine months was really neat.”
Dawn continues, “We went to the Christmas market in the evening and had dinner with her and her parents. We got to know each other the best that we could because I don’t speak Italian and they don’t speak English, so Eliza helped us translate. We were still able to communicate even though we didn’t have all the the words to share with each other. It was a super awesome experience, something that I will never forget. I feel so blessed that I got to do that!”
Are you interested in making a student a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2024-25 school year! Check out the profiles of our wonderful students!
