Our family has been hosting an 18-year-old Swedish exchange student named Lea since she arrived back in August to begin experiencing life in the United States. She fits right in with our family and has been enjoying her year, which has been flying by.
Lea quickly made close friends at the local high school in our community, one of whom is already planning a trip to Sweden after Lea returns home. At the same time, she has been missing the very close group of friends she has had for many years back at home in Sweden. They have stayed in touch through messaging apps and occasional FaceTime calls during Lea’s year here, but the six-hour time difference makes it difficult to really talk.
What Lea did not know was that two of her friends had contacted me back in October to see if they could visit her during their spring break. We made arrangements and last week, Lea’s Swedish friends showed up at my doorstep to surprise her. Don’t ask me how we all kept that secret for six months, but it was not easy!
After lots of happy tears and screaming, the three Swedish friends made the most of their time together in the Boston area. They visited the city and the beach, enjoyed fast food and other American treats, watched a few Netflix feature films, and played an epic game of Monopoly in my basement. Lea was sad to see them return home at the end of the visit, but she knows the remainder of her time here is going by very fast and she is committed to making the most of it with her American friends.
If you’re interested in learning more about hosting an exchange student, or becoming one, check out AFS Exchange Programs. Leaving friends and family behind to experience a year as an exchange student takes courage, but I think Lea would say it’s been worth it, and we have certainly enjoyed having her become a member of our family. ❤️
Language of Friendship 
Leave a comment