The Wonderful World of Foreign Exchange

Montana Families Welcome International Teens

WRITTEN BY SIERRA DRAKE

I’ve been fortunate to be the “matchmaker” between international high school students and their Montana host families for more than a decade. As a former exchange student, host mom and local coordinator with International Cultural Exchange Services, I have experienced firsthand the positive, life-changing impact of foreign exchange programs.

In college, I studied abroad in Ecuador as an exchange student and I was warmly welcomed into my Ecuadorian familia. I learned to salsa dance in the kitchen with my host mom, practiced my Spanish alongside my host sisters while they practiced their English, and embraced a culture that was so vibrantly different than our American culture. I’ll always remember my host mom saying, “Te cuida, mija” which translates to “Take care, my daughter,” each day as I left for school. Twelve years after my study abroad experience, I was reunited with my host sisters, reminding me that I’ll always have a second family.

Many years ago, I became a host mom to Emilie, from Denmark. She bonded with my children, Zoë and West. She was an amazing big sister and loved spending time with them building snowmen, reading stories and baking cookies. Zoë recalls, “I loved having a sister from another country, and she inspired me to travel and learn about new cultures. I will always cherish the experience.”

I’ve been lucky enough to work with over 100 exchange students who attended local Montana high schools. One of my students, Alina, from Germany, says, “I could never have imagined that I would call someone from the other side of the world that I never met before, now FAMILY. I call this place a second home and I’m so glad to be part of their family.” Her host mom, Christin, shared, “This has been a great experience for our family! Alina fits right in with our family and has made incredible lifetime friends. We’ve enjoyed exploring the outdoors, skiing, surfing and camping with her. We look forward to doing this again in the future.”

Each year, I search for more loving families to host brave international teens. Host families provide a room, meals and a loving environment. Students are 15-18 years old and come from all over the world. Host families also can hand-select the next member of their family. The connection between the host family and student creates a lasting impression and helps build cultural awareness and diversity in our local community. To get involved, or learn more please contact Sierra Drake at sdrake@icesusa.org or visit icesusa.org.