What happens when you open your home to a teenager from another country? You get a front-row seat to a year filled with new experiences, fresh perspectives, and plenty of stories to share! Today, host mom Amanda from Oregon shares what it was like to welcome Christian from Italy into her home with her husband, Todd, during the 2025–2026 school year. Along the way, they discovered one of the greatest rewards of hosting: connecting with a younger generation and gaining a renewed sense of hope for the future.
What inspired you to welcome an exchange student into your family?
My husband, Todd, and I both love to travel, and that is really what inspired us to host. We both know the life-changing impact that experiencing different cultures can have on one’s life. While we don’t have children of our own, we thought hosting an exchange student would be a great way to provide that experience to a young person.
Looking back, what are some of your family’s favorite moments or stories from hosting?
Christian arrived timid and unsure, as anyone would coming into a new country! But he quickly assimilated to life in America. I loved getting to tour the high school and help him pick classes. I got all the nervous feels leading up to his first day, right alongside him! He was a champ, though, putting himself out there the first week, talking to people, meeting people in all his classes, and even having lunch plans with new friends a few days in.
I loved that he shared so much with us, like we were the “cool aunt and uncle,” telling us about friends and things going on in the school. Not having kids of our own, it was so wonderful being able to connect with a young person, and it gave us so much HOPE in the future generations.
We took Christian to a family wedding in Texas, the first wedding he’s been to since childhood. We took him to a dude ranch in Arizona where he got to ride a horse, wear cowboy boots, and even eat his first S’more! We loved seeing him experience a totally different and very American culture!
His parents also came to visit for the last 10 days of his program, so we got to show them the beautiful Oregon sights, and they were able to meet his friends and even attend a graduation party. They loved every minute of it, and so did we. Saying goodbye was so emotional! We were sad for us, but especially sad for him, as we knew how strong the friendships he had forged were. We are already planning to visit him and his family in Italy, and he’s hoping to come back over the holidays!
What was the biggest cultural difference you noticed between your student and your family?
Christian fit right in with our family, adapting to our routine easily. I would say the biggest difference was probably the “freedom” teenagers have in Europe versus the US. It wasn’t an issue since everyone has a curfew and everyone had rules to follow, but it was just interesting learning about that difference. He loved all the American food and adapted well!
What advice would you give to future host families?
It’s a life-changing experience for both the host and the student. Our student made unforgettable memories and lifelong connections to new American friends. As our coordinator told us, “teenagers are teenagers,” no matter where they are from. This is true, but it’s always refreshing getting to connect with a young person and provide them with a great experience they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Are you interested in making a student like Christian a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the 2027 spring semester and the upcoming 2027-28 school year. Submit an inquiry, and you’ll be the first to hear when profiles of our students go online!
