Leaving the comfort of their homes and traveling to a foreign nation is an exhilarating experience for Homestead’s exchange students. They get to taste their first bite of fried chicken, listen to their first country song and, for some, experience their first snowfall.  Spending a year abroad is a whirlwind cultural immersion for a foreign exchange student, but what is this adventure like for the host? The hosts may not be experiencing their first bite of chicken and they definitely are not seeing their first snowflake, but nevertheless, Homestead hosts agree that the experience is worth it.

Aaron Cohen, freshman who hosted Amélie Marron, a French foreign exchange student, would recommend hosting to anyone, stating, “It opens your eyes to the world and you realize that people on the other side of the world are just like you.” All seven recent hosts agreed with Cohen and would highly recommend hosting, as they believe the benefits greatly outweigh the downfalls.

Stephanie Metzendorf, sophomore, currently hosts Eda Guenes from Germany, and believes that “the best thing about hosting is finding another [sister or brother] in a completely different person.” Sophie Looker, junior, hosted Austrian Sara Kickmayer for one trimester and recalls, “Hosting was amazing because it brought a new culture into my life and opened up the world without even going to Austria.” Two years later, Looker remembers even the worst of her experiences in a warm light, stating,

“The worst thing about hosting was that I had to sleep on a mattress in the corner of my room for three months, but the best thing was the three-month long sleepover with the older sister I never had.”

Hosting makes the average American student appreciate the little things, like a bed to oneself, a snowfall and a bite of fried chicken. Sharing one’s life with a curious observer may seem like an odd intrusion, but these observers may just become a member of the family. Cohen sums up his experience with the statement, “Do it. You won’t regret it.”