Hosting can be a great experience each and every time! We recently spoke with two wonderful host families from Utah to learn why they chose to host again. Host mom Danielle shared the experience of hosting Diego from Spain, highlighting the energy and joy he brought into their lives. Host mom Whitney talked about the happiness of hosting Elisa from Spain and how much her family loved having fun with her! Both families tell us their story and why they look forward to welcoming another student for the upcoming school year!
What has it been like hosting Diego from Spain?
We had a wonderful time with Diego! He has fit right in with our family! His English was good to begin with and has improved even more. We have had lots of opportunities to spend time with him and he has enjoyed almost all of the activities that we have done. He is super easy to get along with and fun to be around.
What made you decide to host for the first time?
We have hosted short-term summer exchange students in the past when our kids where much younger. Since our youngest would be a senior in high school, and our oldest just got married last year, we decided it would be a perfect time to host an exchange student for the full school year. We wanted to choose a Spanish-speaking student so that we could practice speaking Spanish sometimes.
Why have you decided to host again?
Because it’s been a great experience with Diego! It’s been fun to add some cultural activities from Spain as well. Next year, our son will leave on a mission, so we have another spare room. It made sense to host another student before our kids get too old.
How has it been like hosting Elisa from Italy?
We loved hosting this year! When Elisa came, our daughters were 6 and 3, so it was fun to add a teenager dynamic to our family! It was fun to get to know her and see her make friends and have so much fun with her experience – fall festivals, Halloween activities, Christmas activities, hiking, and more! It was fun to hear differences in how she would celebrate or do things in Italy versus how we do them in America.
What made you decide to host for the first time?
We saw an ad for an exchange student who needed a family and she seemed like a great fit. By the time we signed up, she had been taken, but we got to look through so many wonderful exchange students and found Elisa! We loved that she liked kids and played volleyball. As soon as we could, we started to communicate and were excited to meet in person!
Why have you decided to host again?
Our Aspect Coordinator reached out and said she found another great Italian girl for our family, so we agreed to host again! We have been in contact with her and already have her signed up for Marching Band this fall! We’re looking forward to another great experience with Alice from Italy this upcoming school year.
Are you interested in making a student like Diego or Elisa 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!
