Alice is a part of the CHI family and has hosted many Academic Year Program participants. She has written a wonderful letter sharing her experiences.
Dear Future Host Families,
I have hosted many exchange student over the years, some excellent and some just OK. Our first student was a wonderful match, and she won the hearts of our whole family and friends. And yes, it was hard to send her back, but we knew we had to. When it was time for her to go home, there were 3 car loads of friends that followed us to the airport at 4:30am.
Then we choose again hoping of course to have the same experience and again our experience was wonderful. She played the piano and was immediately swooped up by the band teachers as they needed a keyboard player. She had the opportunity to travel with the band to perform in the Christmas Parade in California and many other competitions. She was also a tennis player and played on our tennis team, won the district championship and went on to play in state competitions.
Our third student was a very nice girl, made friends, also played in the school band, but we had some issues.
We are now hosting our 4th CHI student, and we have hit the jack pot. She is absolutely wonderful and has blended into our family like glue. She too plays an instrument and is in the school band. My 4 yr old great-granddaughter absolutely idolizes her. Haley comes to my house 3 mornings a week before she goes to pre-school and writes scribbled notes to her and puts them on her music stand. She is the most helpful of all the students when it comes to doing house chores. She has made many friends through the band, Sunday school, and the church youth group.
We have had great luck with most of our students. It is just like the children in a family, you never know what the next personality will be. You take what you get and enjoy them for who they are.
Alice – Petal, Mississippi
