Sometimes the greatest gift of hosting is not what you give, but the person you gain. We hear from host dad Derek from Utah, who welcomed Ajia from Pakistan into his family during the 2025-26 school year with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program sponsored by the US Department of State. As he reflects on their time spent together, Derek shares the special moments that brought them closer, the impact Ajia had on everyone around her, and how someone who arrived as an exchange student became someone his family will love for a lifetime.
Last month was incredibly special for our family. More than anything, it was about making the most of our final weeks together and celebrating the incredible young woman Ajia has become.
We had the opportunity to take Ajia to iFly, which she loved. We celebrated her birthday as a family and spent intentional time together making memories before her departure. We also celebrated with a birthday gathering at Jordanelle Reservoir with friends. During her final weeks, we visited the aquarium, spent time together as a family, and played what felt like an endless number of board games, something Ajia has loved from the very beginning.
As I think about this year, the activities are not what stand out the most. What stands out the most is Ajia. One of the things I have learned from her is the value of presence. In a world where most people retreat to their phones, their rooms, or their own distractions, Ajia has a unique ability to simply be present. She makes herself available to people. She sits in the living room. She sits at the table. She stays in the conversation. She doesn’t force herself on anyone or demand attention. She is simply there.
Over the course of the year, I watched her quietly make herself available to our family. If someone wanted to talk, she was there. If someone wanted to play a game, she was there. If my son, Jameson, needed attention, she was there. If help was needed in the kitchen, she was there.
There is something deeply calming about her presence. She is comfortable being herself and creates space for others to be themselves as well. I think that is a rare gift, especially for someone her age. Ajia became a big sister to my daughter, Hazel, a close friend to my teenage son, Myles, and one of Jameson’s favorite people in the world. She loved our family well, and we loved her.
As the end of the year approached, the reality of saying goodbye became very difficult for all of us. We cried at the airport. Not because the year was over, but because someone we love was leaving. What began as hosting an exchange student became something much deeper.
Ajia’s natural mother shared with me recently that she wants me to continue to serve in a fatherly role in Ajia’s life, since her own father has passed away. That was one of the greatest honors I have ever been given, and I gladly accepted.
Whether Ajia returns in a year, five years, or ten years, she will always have a home with us. She is family. We hope to welcome her back to Utah again soon, but regardless of where life takes her, our commitment to her remains the same. I fully expect to walk her down the aisle one day when she gets married. If she has children someday, I will gladly hold them as grandchildren.
Ajia came to us through the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, but she leaves as our daughter.
Thank you, our local Aspect coordinator, Heather, thank you to Aspect Foundation, and thank you to the YES Program for trusting us with her this year. It has been one of the greatest gifts our family has ever received.
Click here to read Ajia’s sweet thank-you letter to her host family.
Are you interested in making a student like Ajia a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2026-27 school year! Check out the profiles of our wonderful students! New profiles go online every Thursday!
