Reason number 1 for having an exchange student

Short and simple:

Because international exchange is the smartest thing I ever did!

Growing up I was the odd duck - the nerd, the brain, not interested in sports at all. I was a quiet little mouse who preferred to blend in with wallpaper. I was very good at languages and in the 8th grade I came up with the idea to travel on exchange.

My dad thought is was a great idea. We were advised to wait until I was sure to placed in 12th grade in the States. So I left Denmark when I was 17. I was placed in a family with no kids and spent a year in a catholic private school in Michigan. Didn't make a whole lot of friends but that year changed me forever and I returned home a confident and strong 18 year old.

At home I quickly became a volunteer for the exchange organisation I traveled with; Youth for Understanding and soon all my friends was from YFU. I was very involved in the organisation for many years and tried out so many different things and had loads of responsibility at a very young age.

I met my husband through YFU and most of our fundamental values stem from our international experiences.

Having an exchange student living with us has been just as rewarding as our original exchange experiences.

Reason number 2 for having an exchangestudent

It has been over two years since she arrived. The experience changed both her and us. But even though it has been so long now it is still a conversation starter or something that interests people a great deal.

Being an "international" family is so normal to us that we sometimes forget how the other half lives. We feel so priviledged that we have have had the opportunity to invite the world inside our own home. And my reason number two for having an exchange student may sound a bit thick but I feel proud that I made the world a little bit smaller and helped further international cultural exchange and opened communication between people. And through casual dinner conversations or lunch with collegues I continue to do so. I wonder if everyone had to have an exchange student if there would be so much conflict in the world ... or just in Denmark?  

Reason number 3 for having an exchange student

She has just been back for a visit and it was great to see her again.

Her danish skills was pretty much the same as when she left - very impressive!

Most of the everyday words she has gotten pretty good at. However a trip to Italy showed me that there are words in the Danish language that so hard to say and makes no sense at all.

Bølgeskvulp - the first time I said it she looked at me like I was making up new words (translation: not a real wave but a little sound water makes when it curls)

Halv fem - she kept saying that she had to  leave the house at half seventeen. It took a few guesses before we figured out she was meant 4:30. In Danish we don't use am or pm. After noon we say 13, 14 etc ( or 1, 2 etc). So in her mind 4:30 was 30 min before 17. "But that makes no sense at all??"

Trying to explain the ins and out of the Danish language is reason number 3.

Reason number 4 for having an exchange student

I just received a message that she has found tickets to come back and visit!

We are all so excited. It will be great to see her again and see if she has changed in the year that has passed.

It is such fun to have visitors. This year my husbands hostparents are coming for the baby's baptism and my best friend is coming in August. But it will be wonderfull to see her again and see her being excited about being back.

Reason number 5 for having an exchange student

Our student left for home many months ago and we still miss her ... she misses us too.

But she is still family. The kids - especially our daughter - refers to her as their sister. We wish we could have more exchange students but the room is now occupied with the latest addition to the family; Anne-Sophie. She was born in november.

But our student will always be our daughter too. And her family is an extension of ours. Being connected to another family like this worth gold.