What hosting exchange students taught me about travel

Over the span of five years, my family hosted six international exchange students from Italy, Thailand, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil. 

Others might assume it would feel odd to have strangers from other countries living in your home—especially if you have teenagers, which I was at the time. But let me tell you, hosting exchange students was one of the best decisions my family made.

This experience had a profound impact on not only me as a person but the kind of traveler I am today. 

What Are Exchange Programs and Who Are They For?

The majority of exchange programs allow high school and college students to go to school and live in another country for an extended period. This can be anywhere from a couple of weeks to an entire year. Exchange students usually live with local host families. 

All of my exchange “siblings,” my brother, and I participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange and lived with host families. However, there are tons of exchange programs out there.

Exchange Programs Allow You to Learn Others’ Cultures—and Vice Versa

The very first exchange student my family hosted was a boy named Erik from Milan, Italy. He lived with us for an entire school year. 

At first, I had no idea what to expect, but his exchange turned out to be the first of many amazing exchange experiences. Erik became like an older brother to me and as I’d soon discover, all of our exchange students would become my extended siblings, too. 

Living and learning alongside a person from another country and culture is the ultimate lesson in being aware of your own cultural habits and assumptions, and opening your mind up to that of others.

One of my favorite memories of Erik came just a few days after he arrived in the United States. We were packing our lunches for school and I caught him putting raw bacon on his sandwich. He thought it was a pancetta. 

A couple of years later, our exchange student Tem, from Thailand, came down the stairs to hang out with me in the kitchen. He sighed, putting his chin in his hands and elbows on the counter. He then said to me, “Lea, I’m so boring.” I chuckled, then asked him, “Tem, do you mean bored?”

Another memory is of our exchange student, Laura, from Spain. I was driving us home from school when a black bear crossed the street in my neighborhood. Laura turned to me and asked, in all seriousness, if she could get out and pet it. My family still jokes about this to this day. 

I have countless stories like these. However, hosting exchange students isn’t limited to one-sided moments about cultural habits, lessons, and differences. Each of my “siblings” taught me about their countries and cultures just like my family taught them about life in the United States. 

I was given countless cooking lessons from our exchange students, learning to make everything from tiramisu to Thai shrimp stir-fry and paella. I learned about holiday traditions different from my own. We exchanged curse words in different languages because, as teenagers, of course we did. 

My childhood home became as much theirs as it was mine. To this day, my parents’ annual Christmas tree includes gifts and remnants of our exchange students—branches decorated with different flags and items like Spanish Castanets and little Dutch clogs. 

Exchange Provided Lasting Lessons That Impact How I Travel Today

Aside from gaining lifelong friendships and bonds, the real, lasting lesson of hosting exchange students is the impact they’ve had on how I interact with the world as a traveler. 

It taught me not to let factors like nationality or language stop me from connecting with others, no matter where in the world I am. The truth is that so many of us stop ourselves from initiating connections while traveling because cultural differences can make us feel awkward or uncomfortable.

As cheesy as it sounds, smiles and laughter are universal, and these things can kickstart close bonds with people who would’ve remained strangers if you hadn’t given them a chance.

Exchange also taught me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Specifically, in allowing yourself to feel out of place and out of your depth. It’s easy to travel and stick to foods and people you know, and rely on what’s comfortable. But doing this leaves a lot to be desired; at least, in my opinion. 

Anytime I travel to a new country, I make a conscious effort to seek out travel experiences that allow me to connect with locals. And every time I’ve done so, it’s led to richer, more meaningful travel experiences. 

As beautiful as places are, what truly brings a place to life are the people who live there. 

When I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, I signed up for a language exchange program to connect with a local to help me practice Italian. 

This led me to new friends and funny, special memories, like when my exchange partner, Giorgia, taught me that the best way to knead pizza dough was with “more violence.” 

I never would’ve signed up for this language program if it hadn’t been for my personal experience with the exchange.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit many of my exchange students in their own countries and be taken care of by their families like mine did with them. Each instance feels like a full circle moment where my bond with them and their home country is deepened. 

I’ll never forget when I visited our exchange student, Jozef (who goes by “Dodo”), in his home country of Slovakia. Neither of his parents spoke English well, but they embraced me like I was their daughter, doing everything and anything to make me feel welcome and at home. 

My favorite memory from this trip was when Dodo’s dad cooked me hotdogs for breakfast because he thought it would remind me of America and make me feel at home. So sweet but absolutely hilarious. 

I’ve visited our exchange students abroad and many of them have come back to visit me in Chicago and my family in North Carolina. Some of them have even had the chance to meet each other (see above photo). 

None of these relationships or travel experiences would’ve been possible without taking that first step to connect with someone from another country and culture. 

Myself, my family, and our exchange students have all learned from one another. 

Hosting exchange students truly is an exchange—of everyone’s cultures, personalities, and lives. And at the end of the day, that sentiment of connection is one I take with me on every trip I take, no matter where in the world I go.