Allowing a young stranger into one’s home requires some bravery, but for families who have participated in the Faribault Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program, the experience is well worth it.“I never thought of hosting until we were asked, but we will do it again,” said Darla Kosanda, who hosted a Brazilian teenager, Amanda, in 2015. “It was a great experience for our family. They got to experience and enjoy her and we still keep in contact with her through social media.”

           Kosanda is one of many Faribault families that have participated in the Rotary program either hosting an exchange student for three months, or sending their own child for an experience of their own.Recently, the Rotary Club found the six families it needs to host exchange students from Italy and South Korea for next school year, but they have already started the process of searching for hosts for the 2018-19 year.The hosts will house a student in three-month intervals in the fall, winter or spring as the students attend Faribault High School.“It’s just three months,” said Kosanda. “It’s not a long commitment.” In addition, while in Faribault, the Rotary helps cover the cost of school-related activities, school lunches and even provides students with a small allowance.

Lasting impact

        While the visit from the Amanda was brief, Kosanda noted that it left her family with a new perspective.“It was a really rewarding time,” she said. “We made her part of our family. We even had the privilege of getting to know her family, too.”Kosanda said that the girl was appreciative of the experience as well. Growing up living in a skyscraper, Faribault was a “culture shock” for the 16 year old.  “I took her downtown Faribault and showed her our tallest building has four floors,” laughed Kosanda.

During the visit, Kosanda and her family had the chance to teach the teen how to carve a pumpkin. Also, they were able to see her face when she saw snow for the first time. “For them to experience things in our culture that are new to them, I think they really enjoy it,” said Kosanda. “I recommend people try [hosting]. It’s like adding another member of your family for a couple of months.”

        At Dick and Nancie Houston’s house, it had been 28 years since someone went to Faribault High School Prom. So when they hosted a girl from Taiwan last spring, Nancie took their exchange student to get her hair and nails done and get fitted for a dress. “She was a really nice person,” said Dick Houston of the Taiwanese girl, Maggie. “Easy to have around, extremely polite and very fun. She loved to kid around. A fun person.” Houston, a Rotarian himself, worked with Maggie to build a miniature library at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Faribault as well. The time she spent with the Houstons left an lasting impression. More so, Houston saw the greater good that can come from hosting a student.  “I think, if we are going to have peace in this world, it’s this age group talking to each other and getting to know one another, not growing up with the phobias we have,” he said. “I think that kind of thing is huge in having the possibility of peace in this world.”Inspired by his time with the student, Houston said he would recommend hosting an exchange student “wholeheartedly.”

         The Burgess family, who hosted a Spanish girl last year, said in a testimonial that they learned about their exchange student’s culture while she learned theirs.  The Burgesses added that they would be traveling to visit their host daughter in Spain later this year, meet her family and immerse themselves in her culture. The Burgess family noted that their own daughter will participate in an exchange in the coming years as well.

        These success stories do not surprise Lisa Humfeld-Wilson, who runs the local Rotary exchange program. “It’s a great way to broaden a person’s culture,” she said. “It’s a really good experience to have those international connections for people of any age, but especially students. It helps them get along with other people from other countries and it helps create that world peace that people want to see.”

        The Faribault Rotary Club has been active in organizing exchanges through Northstar Youth Exchange. Currently, two Faribault students are outbound in Italy and Thailand. Next year, three students are headed to Russia, Denmark and Australia for the school year. Currently, two students are on exchange in Faribault from Columbia and Germany.