Intro....

I have found after three years of hosting foreign exchange students, I still love the experience. These kids come here to find out what life is really like in America, and I learn so much about what a big world we really live in.

It all started with Niklas from Germany...He came into our life and home in October of 2006. He started the whole thing for us. We had a four year old, never had dealt with a teenager, and had no idea that we would end up loving him like a child of our own. The bonding that can happen is amazing.

People thought we were crazy...we got many comments...such as, "How can you invite a complete stranger into your home?", or "Are you carzy?", and my favorite, "What if they are horrible, rotten, brats?" And like anything else I have done in my life.....I completely ignored all given advice and plunged in with both feet.

We had an amazing year and decided to host again. She was from Russia. I was nervous about having a hormonal girl, but Nadya was the sweetest and caring young lady that we enjoyed in our family. We also hosted Hezha from Iraq during this same year. He was more challenging, but he also touched our hearts and opened our eyes to the differences in our two cultures.

We also realized that two teenagers was WAY too much for our family and skill level at handling teenage problems.

Now to the current year, Klara is our student from the Czech Republic. She is halfway through her year here. We are to the point where she is becoming a part of our family, and we are really getting to know one another. She has grown so much in the five months that she has been with us. It always makes me chuckle... thinking how much I affect their perception of life in America. I just pray that it is a good way in the end.

My life will never be the same after meeting such unique and wonderful kids. They have made their own individual impact on me, my husband and my children. We have found that sharing our home to these kids has opened a huge world up for us. I have found that I love these kids and wouldn't change my moments with them for anything. To me they are my family, even if they only get one school year with us.

Nadya was our pick for year number two.