“I have been a coordinator for over six years and have kept in touch with almost all of my students. Now I have 18 “kids” all over the world and one grandbaby! Last year I even had the chance to visit two of my boys when I was invited to stay with their families in Denmark! This summer, I had a former student visit the U.S. with her parents and they stopped to visit me. It’s so rewarding to see how you have helped shape a young person’s life. They never forget you!”

“I just really love the students. It thrills my heart to pick them up at the airport and see how excited they are to be here. I get so attached to them, every single one of them! Teenagers are the same all over the world – they just need a lot of love and understanding. I really love this work – why couldn’t I have found this job 25 years ago!”

“Besides knowing I’ve given an irreplaceable opportunity for these kids, I like that it also teaches my students that the American perspective isn’t the only one. I feel like they have become more compassionate and mature. It’s one thing to watch these items on the international news, but it’s another experience to know someone who has lived through something and hear their point-of-view.”

“Being involved in student exchange for 15 years has really changed my life in so many ways. It has brought much enrichment to my family, especially to my children who have grown up knowing many different cultures, really understanding the similarities and differences of people throughout the world. My job as a coordinator is very personal and fulfilling in most every way – I can’t imagine my life without having “my kids” as such a big part of everything I do. I am truly blessed!”

“For me, being an International Coordinator isn’t a job; it’s a cause. I really believe that this program contributes to world peace. It’s about establishing friendships among people all over the world. I get to meet some of the world’s most awesome teenagers, and I get to know wonderful families who live in my own community. I see their relationships blossom into lifelong friendships. It really does change lives!”