An Exchange Family

Yana has arrived!  We did our normal airport routine yesterday to pick up Yana.  First, we had set up for two or three of her classmates to come meet her with us and we had signs ready.  Then we downloaded and tracked her flight using the flight aware app.  When her flight landed we started the very awkward process of standing at the bottom of the escalators with our signs… watching every other passenger read our sign and some even dance and say they were Yana.  And we waited… then there she was!  Immediately greeting each other with welcomes and hugs!  Then we got baggage and headed off!  On the way home we stopped by to show her the school she will attend and then went to have a late lunch.  Once we arrived home she gave us some wonderful things she had brought us from home and from her family.  Candies, tablecloth, towels, book, seasonings and more. So sweet! We gave her the welcome basket and snacks that we had gotten for her.  After a nap and letting her settle in we took her to

I've been super busy and haven't posted yet on our years with Anton or Aladdin and Masni, but they are coming.  However, it is TIME!!! My goal is to blog this whole exchange year so I have to get started!   Yana from the Ukraine is currently on her first flight!  She has some long couple days of travel (as most do).  She traveled by train to the capital of Ukraine, her first flight is Ukraine to Germany, then she will fly from Germany to Washington, then from Washington to Birmingham where we will pick her up.   Let me catch you up on our preparations thus far!  We did our summer cleaning and de-cluttering.  Whew!  Then we decided that both of our student bedrooms needed re-doing. It took two trips to Ikea and lots of work, but both bedrooms have all new furniture and layout!  They look good!  Then we made airport welcome signs and have them ready to go.  Just tonight we finished putting the finishing touches on their snack boxes and welcome baskets.  We like doing sn

When we began looking at student applications we were looking for a student who we felt would fit in well with our family and community and someone who we felt we could offer a great experience.  Once we read Maria’s letter to her potential American family we were sold!  She portrayed her personality in her letter and was really genuine!  She ended her letter with, “So, this is me-purposeful, positive, interested in learning all new, friendly girl, who can’t wait to know her host family and become a part of them!”  Maria was 15 when she arrived and was in the 10 th grade at BHS.  When she arrived we had arranged for a student at BHS to come with us to the airport so she would have someone her age to meet and that would be going to school with her.  We thought this would help with the transition since she would know someone.  Cheyenne and Maria actually became really good friends and did many things throughout the year together.  The airport lost her luggage so we took her to Walm

The process of choosing an exchange student is relatively simple.  You work with a placement organizations (FLAG or Foreign Links Around the Globe is the organization we currently work with).  Once you choose a placement organization you fill out paperwork and get a background check (of course when working with children!).  There is a couple of quick home visits just so they can verify the home is safe and is what you say on your application.  Once you are approved as a family you fill an application on your family…. You tell about your lifestyle, your home, and basics.  In turn all the students fill out a similar application.  A very important part of their application is their letter to their potential American Family.  In this letter they tell you about themselves, their families, their lifestyles etc. Once you choose a student they are sent a placement notification and they get to look at our application to “accept” placement.  Once they accept placement you are then official

I have been thinking about starting/doing this blog for a while now.  I've thought about the pros and cons, the reasons why and ultimately decided that I should do it!       WHY: 1. To keep a log of memories that are often lost with time.  There are so many little moments that are funny, cute, and even challenging that we (mainly me) forget just because time passes.  I want to save and re-live these moments. I think a blog would be a fantastic way to save them to read and relive them whenever I like. 2.  To share! I can't tell you how often we are asked why we host exchange student or other questions regarding hosting.  I think this would be a wonderful place to hopefully answer those questions and even share what hosting is like in our family! A little background!   I'm 34 years old and a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher (I primarily teach Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism and Family Study Courses) at a High School.  Chad is my wonderful husband of 7