Open Your Home, Open Your Heart: Celebrating Host Families & Inspiring New Ones

In this Season 4 finale, we celebrate the powerful connections formed between host families and exchange students.

Hear inspiring stories from past episodes: Jutta learns about Senegalese culture from her host daughter, Diarra; Justin and Chad reflect on the positive impact hosting has had on their son; Kakeru, inspired by his own host mom, hopes to pass his positive experience along and become a host parent himself; and Keith and Doug share the heartwarming welcome they received from their host son's family in Denmark.

We'll also meet Naveenaa, a current YES Program student from India, who's exploring the U.S. with her adventurous host family.

As you listen, remember that AFS is seeking host families to welcome amazing students for the semester starting in January 2025! Whether you're ready now or considering it for the future, head to afsusa.org/host to learn more and open your home to a world of possibilities.

Guest: 
Naveenaa P.

Episodes Mentioned:
Jutta and Diarra: From Senegal to Seattle: One AFSer's Journey in the Pacific Northwest
Justin and Chad: Becoming a Global Family
Kakeru and Kendis: Crossing Borders, Overcoming Barriers: Kakeru’s Inspiration Journey
Keith and Doug: Keith, Doug, and their Danish Host Son

Study Abroad with AFS-USA: www.afsusa.org/study-abroad
Volunteer with AFS-USA: www.afsusa.org/volunteer
Host with AFS-USA: www.afsusa.org/host
Educator Resources: www.afsusa.org/educators
Contact us: podcast@afsusa.org

Chapters

• 2:22 Favorite Moments of Season 4
• 11:11 Interview with Naveenaa P. from India

Transcript

Kate M.
Hello and welcome to The AFS Exchange. I'm your host, Kate Mulvihill. On this show, we delve into unique perspectives from members of our AFS family, providing insights that only international exchange experiences can offer.In every episode, we open the door wide to welcome the voices of those whose lives have been profoundly impacted by AFS. This is a place to have conversations, or exchanges, with AFS host families, students, volunteers, and educators. 

Kate M.
So this is the last episode of Season 4! We will be taking a bit of a break, not too much of a break, and will be back sharing AFS stories early next year. 
We've already got exciting guests lined up for Season 5, but we also want to hear from you, our listeners! Who would you like us to interview? Are there any study abroad podcasts or creators you think we should connect with? Let us know at podcast@afsusa.org.

So, we covered a lot of ground this season. Across 10 episodes- this being the 11th- I spoke with host parents, volunteers, returnees, hosted students and their siblings. We also celebrated volunteers back in April with a special episode featuring staff shout-outs, and just a few weeks ago, we recapped the Volunteer Summit in Dallas. 

[Country music]

For this season finale, we're revisiting some of my favorite moments from earlier episodes- specifically stories about connections made between host families and students.

And after that, we’re including a new interview with Naveenaa, a current host student from India living in Michigan. We'll hear about her year so far and how her amazing host family has helped her discover the U.S. Naveenaa is passionate about nature, and thanks to her host family, she's experienced incredible opportunities for camping, hiking, and exploring the beauty of the American outdoors. 

As you listen to this episode, remember that AFS is actively seeking host families to welcome students for the academic year or even a semester! We are currently searching for families to host semester students arriving in January 2025! Interested in learning more? Head to afsusa.org/host, whether it's for 2025 or beyond!

[Music]

Kate M.
So, for this Favorite Moments segment, we've pulled clips from four episodes this season that highlight the incredible connections between host families and exchange students.

Kate M.
In our first episode of the season, I spoke with Jutta von Stieglitz, a host mom living in Washington state, and her host daughter, Diarra, from Senegal.
Jutta and her husband, German immigrants to the U.S., bring a unique perspective to their conversations with Diarra. Their shared experiences as cross-cultural newcomers allow them to empathize with Diarra and guide her through her own journey of adaptation.

In this clip, Jutta shares the beauty of learning about a new culture gradually, through everyday interactions with Diarra. 

Jutta V.
And with Diarra, you know, it's sort of, it's like a little quilt that I'm getting about Senegal, and that's the beautiful thing, if you have somebody living with you for a long time, and you don't just meet them for a week or something, you get little little things that you learn about their country. And in the conversations that we have.  
Yeah, it's all these little details that come over time that weave this little quilt for me about Senegal.

Kate M.
In September I spoke with Justin Dunleavy and Chad Bauman, who live with their son Everett in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before becoming fathers to Everett, Justin and Chad were AFS host fathers, welcoming students from the other side of the world into their home. And after Everett’s arrival, they kept hosting. In fact, they're currently hosting student number eight! Last summer, the entire family embarked on a European adventure, reuniting with all of their former exchange students.

During our conversation, Justin and Chad shared how hosting has had a profound impact on their son.

Chad B.   
Well, I mean, I can. It's easy for us to reflect on the trip that we just took this summer, which is, you know, we now have, besides the relationship we have with our boys, we have relationships with their families. And so we're very close with Javi’s mother and father and his grandparents. We're very close to, you know, Mathias’ family. We're very close to almost all of their families. So it's like we have a global family. I know it sounds a little cliche, but it's true, like we have family all over Europe, and so it is. It's expanded our family. It's introduced us to a lot of new cultures. 

Our son, we made the decision not to adopt a second child, but we did not want our son to grow up as an only child. And now he has a new brother every single year, and those brothers adore him. And we have this digital picture frame in our living room that just rotates pictures, pictures, and he'll go up to that all the time, and he's like, “That's my brother so-and-so, that's my brother.” Anybody that enters the house, he loves telling them about his brothers all over the place, and so it is incredibly heartwarming to see that. And also, you know, my mother has got like, seven new grandsons that she just dotes over, and she's just incredibly excited about it. 

Justin D.   
Just adds a lot of color to your life. Adds a different perspective. You start to, you know, just like I said earlier, the observations that they make kind of challenges some of, maybe some of your assumptions about sort of how things are, and watching the impact on our son is amazing. And just last night, you know, we were watching Netflix, and you know, Everett, our three year old, wanted to watch one show, but our exchange student wanted to watch another. So we just used it as an opportunity to say, “Look, you can't always have your own way. You know, everyone gets a voice. Everyone gets a turn.” So it's, you know, having exchange students, actually, I think makes us present those teaching moments more often, for our son.

Kate M.
So this episode, which came out in August, was actually the most popular episode of the season! Kakeru, originally from Japan, spent a transformative year in California as an AFS exchange student in the mid-2000s. Fast forward two decades, and he’s still deeply connected to his host mom, Kendis. In fact, Kakeru now calls California home, once again! After his AFS year, Kakeru returned to Japan for college, he  got married, and eventually moved back to the U.S.to pursue an MBA and a career in Silicon Valley. Inspired by his own positive experience, Kakeru and his wife aspire to become host parents, hoping to provide the same level of care and support that Kendis offered him.

Kakeru T. 
As I already spoke about, my wife and I are really interested in becoming a host family. And really, this is, this hasn't been part of the plan without having Kendis as my host mom, and other members of the host family. They really, really treated me as part of the family. I know how impactful it is for international students going through the moment. So I just want to kind of return a favor to the program and to Kendis and your family in proving that I can, you know, kind of pay forward to the next generation to the next families. 

Kate M.
The last clip I am going to share is from an episode that came out in July featuring Keith and Doug Byron from Indiana. The Byrons were interested in hosting an exchange student, and they found AFS as they were looking for organizations that were inclusive and open to all types of families.

Doug B.     
So I've wanted to adopt over the years, but you know, as we got older, it just seemed more unlikely that we were going to do that. I didn't necessarily want to foster a child because, of course, I didn't want to get so attached to the child that I just had to turn around and give them back, you know, to their parents or something. And so this one over here decided, you know, hey, let's, let's do this program. You know, we can host a foreign exchange student. And I'm like, Okay, let's, let's do it. So he filled out paperwork, and… 

Keith B.     
Well before that, I did a search online for foreign exchange programs that were okay with same-sex couples, and AFS was the first one that came up. Their website is very clear about being open to diversity of families, that love is love, basically. 

Kate M.
They welcomed Mikkel from Denmark into their home in 2022. Mikkel quickly became a member of the family. The three of them- plus a couple pets- had a wonderful year together. Saying goodbye was very tough. But a year later, Keith and Doug embarked on a trip to Denmark to visit Mikkel. While there, they wer e greeted with open arms and treated like family. It was clear that Mikkel’s experience in Indiana had left a lasting impact on his life and his family.

Doug B.     
So what amazed me was that people were, you know, walking up to us and introducing themselves and just telling us we've heard so much about you. And we're like, oh, that's that's great. And then it, you know, it, it wasn’t just one or two people. It was like most of the people there, and again, a lot of these people were family and, you know, close friends and whatnot. But it felt pretty amazing that Mikkel came over here. He spent a year with us. He had the experience. And he didn't just go home and leave it all behind, you know, he went home and he took it with him. And so that made me feel good, that we knew at that point, and I really realized at that point that you know just how part of his life, you know we were or how much you know we were. 

Keith B. 
Yeah, and you know, you never know what is going on in someone else's head. So we know that we love that kid like he's, you know, our kid, but you never know how they feel, until, you know, you say something, and the response is just so full of love. There was one point at which, while he was here, he said, you know, someday you're going to be holding your grandkid, and my heart just kind of fell right out of my body. And that was like, dear, you know, he, he talks about how he doesn't have just two parents, he has four. And his parents, you know, Santa and Teddy, are exactly the same. They have explained this the same. They tell us, yeah, you're a part of the family. 

Kate M.
These stories clearly highlight the profound impact that host families can have on the lives of exchange students, and vice versa. If you're interested in opening your home to a student from another culture, consider becoming an AFS host family. Visit afsusa.org/host to learn more.

[Music]

Kate M.
So, those were some fantastic moments from past episodes that showcased the powerful connections formed between host families and students. Now, in this episode, we'll meet a current AFS host student who's already building a strong bond with her host family!

Naveenaa, from India, is spending her entire academic year in the U.S. through the prestigious YES Program. For those unfamiliar with the YES Program, it's the U.S. Department of State's Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program.

This program brings high school students, like Naveenaa, to the U.S. to advance the U.S. foreign policy goals of promoting civil society, youth leadership development, and lasting ties between Americans and the people of participating countries.  

So, let's hear from Naveenaa about her experiences so far and how her host family has helped her get in touch with nature and discover the real United States.

Naveenaa P.   
Hi everyone. I'm Naveenaa from India. So I'm currently hosted in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, USA.

Kate M.   
Okay, and where in Michigan is that? 

Naveenaa P.   
So St. Clair Shores is a suburb of Detroit.

Kate M.   
Why did you decide to study in the United States?

Naveenaa P.   
There are many reasons. The predominant one is that it was my childhood dream to come to us. So when I first shared about the AFS YES Program, I just wanted to get selected in this program and to change my dream into a reality, and now I'm sitting here inU.S.and chatting with you. 

And the second reason being, I'm a student who is really, really eager to learn about different cultures, different people, and how they think about different things. So this was a great opportunity to fulfill all of those.

Kate M.   
How did your parents or your family react?

Naveenaa P.   
They were like, so, so happy, because they thought this was a golden opportunity for me to explore a different country, and at such a young age, they thought that this would make me into a better version of myself. So they were very supportive. They were incredibly supportive.

Kate M.   
That's great to hear. Let's see, you are from the southern part of India, correct? 

Naveenaa P.
Yes.

Kate M.
And what language do they speak there?

Naveenaa P.   
So we speak Tamil. It is one of the oldest languages in the world.  

Kate M.
So Naveenaa is from Madurai, a large city in the state of Tamil Nadu. The capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai, which is nicknamed “the Detroit of India,” as it is one of the major centers for the automotive industry in the country. 

[Car starting]

I found this connection interesting, as Naveenaa now lives in the state of Michigan, home to Detroit- famously known as "the Detroit of the United States."
Anyway. India is about a third of the size of the U.S., but has 23 official languages. Including, as she said, one of the oldest languages in the world that is still spoken today, Tamil. Okay, back to Naveenaa. 

Kate M.   
Could you tell me a little bit about your family back in India. Like siblings, parents, what's the composition of your family?

Naveenaa P.   
We have a family of my mother, my younger brother and my grandmother. So except my father, we all live together. My father works in another city, and we get to meet our father once in two weeks. So this is our family.

Kate M.    
And what is your host family like here in Michigan?

Naveenaa P.   
So my host family consists of my host mom and my host sister. They are wonderful. They were very welcoming, and they were very eager to learn about my culture, which really made me feel so good. It’s really interesting to bond with these amazing people.

Kate M.   
Can you think of any examples of things that you have taught them about Indian culture?

Naveenaa P.   
So I cooked Indian food for them, and I have given them Indian dresses to wear, and they told them the unique intricacies about the dresses. And my host mom is a reader, so she read many books about India, and she had many doubts, and I cleared all the doubts about how India is like. I showed her some pictures. We shared many things about our culture, and she shared about her culture.

Kate M.   
What sorts of things have you done with your host family, like, how have they helped you discover the United States?

Naveenaa P.   
I would say especially through traveling. My host mom had taken me to many different places, especially here in Michigan. We went to the lakes. We're watching the sunset during the initial days. 

And then we went to explore the city of Detroit. I went to Greek town. I tried Greek dishes, and the city was beautiful. And then I went to the Upper Peninsula for camping. And then I went to Mackinac Island. 

And then, apart from Michigan, we also traveled to five other states. It was New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. And in each state, we tried the local food. We enjoyed doing fun activities together. So that really made me realize that every state is truly beautiful and unique in its own way. So I'm really thankful for her to have given me the opportunity to explore all of these states.

Kate M.   
No, that's so great. And I mean, you've seen a lot, and you've only been here for three months and yes, I mean, Michigan is very different than Kentucky, and New York, and Pennsylvania. Where in New York did you go?

Naveenaa P.   
I went to Niagara Falls.

Kate M.   
Nice, nice, very beautiful. Was that like a road trip, or did you fly?

Naveenaa P.   
It was a road trip, in the weekend after my school. And going to Niagara Falls was also one of my biggest dreams. like my host mom surprised me with that trip. I was so excited. We also saw the light show and then a concert. It was really fun. We really enjoyed it there.

Kate M.   
Cool. And you went with your sister as well, or just you and your mom,?

Naveenaa P.   
My host sister and host mom and me.

Kate M.   
Had your host mom hosted students before? Or are you the first one?

Naveenaa P.   
Yes, I'm the first. So when I hear that, I felt really grateful and special. 

Kate M.   
Yeah! Well, it sounds like it's been a really positive experience so far, so I'm happy to hear that. 

[Nature night sounds, crickets]

Kate M.
One of Naveenaa's favorite aspects of her American experience has been the many opportunities her host family has provided to explore the great outdoors.

Naveenaa P.   
I have done many outdoor adventures like camping. Camping in the Upper Peninsula Michigan. It was really new, because it was my first time camping, and it was really interesting to camp with my host family. Just sleeping, seeing the stars at night, surrounded by nature without any electricity or network connection. I just felt really close to Earth, close to Mother Earth. 

And then I went hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, which is also a very new experience. That's my first time hiking as well. So it was a completely new way of seeing nature and experiencing all of the beautiful things..

Kate M.   
Yeah, that's great. And so it was like, you did the real camping thing. You were, like, in a tent and a sleeping bag?

Naveenaa P.   
Yeah. Host mom taught me, like, how to set up a camp. And you know, it was really new to me, but still, she taught me, and it was really good, okay?

Kate M.   
And in India, I mean, I know India is a huge country with a lot of different cultures in India, so every part of India is a little bit different. But where you are, how do folks get in touch with nature?

Naveenaa P.   
So we see nature like we pray to nature. We see we are very lucky to, you know, have nature around us. In my religion, we pray to trees, we pray to nature. And my house is surrounded with nature. We have mountains on four sides, we have rivers, we have forests. So I feel whenever I wake up by seeing all of this, I feel incredibly lucky that I've been born here and I'm seeing all those things. And many people do think the same.

Kate M.   
So your younger brother, do you think you would be able to, like, bring him camping with you at some point? What do you think you would camp when you go back to India?

Naveenaa P.   
Yeah, I'm planning to go camping with my brother when I go back to India, because he would love camping. He hasn't done camping yet, but camping absolutely matches his personality, so I would definitely take him with me.

Kate M.   
I'm happy to hear that, yeah, camping is great. And growing up, I would do a lot of camping. And I guess I didn't realize until I was older that it wasn't as common in other parts of the world to just, like, sleep under the stars. And yeah, let's see. So you have about seven more months here. What are you hoping to do in those seven months?

Naveenaa P.   
So I want to, explore, like traveling, and I want to make lasting friendships with all of my friends, my classmates, and a great bond with my host family that I could cherish for a lifetime. And then I want to share about my Indian culture, and to also learn more aboutU.S.culture. So I'm planning to make the most of my time.

Kate M.   
Great. And are there other AFS students in your area?

Naveenaa P.   
Yeah, there are many exchange students from different countries. Students from France, Italy, and Germany. Seeing a lot of students from different countries, and talking with them, hearing about their perspectives, has really shaped me in many ways. 

Kate M.   
What, um, what was the orientation like for the Indian students coming over to the US? Did you meet the other Indian students before you came over?

Naveenaa P.   
Yes, before I came to us, there was a two day orientation in India where I met all of my other fellow exchange students from India.

Kate M.   
What was that orientation like? Do you remember the things they talked about?

Naveenaa P.   
They talked about how, like, the qualities of being an exchange student, like how open minded you are, like how open minded you are to learn about other cultures and how to communicate with your host family and liaison. And you know, if there are any problems, what is the line of communication that you have to do.

Kate M.
Yeah. Okay, so you have only been on program for three years, or three years, three months! How would you say you've grown so far? Can you feel that you're a little bit different than you were when you got here?

Naveenaa P.   
Absolutely. I think growth occurs when you come out of your comfort zone. So the fact that I get 1000s of miles away from my comfort zone back in India, has made me grow. I would definitely see a difference between Naveenaa before coming toU.S.and after coming to US. It has made me into a more confident version of myself. So I would say that this exchange is a golden opportunity that has shaped me to a completely new person who is now different, who has now broadened my perspectives, how to see the world from a fresh angle, in a very positive way.

Kate M.   
I'm happy to hear that! What are some of the things you will take back, not literally, but what are some of the things you will take back to India with you? Kind of, how do you plan to pass along the message of AFS once you get back?

Naveenaa P.   
So I would say AFS, this exchange program has already had a very big impact on me, and I know that it would contribute a lot in my future. So as a cultural ambassador, I feel like it's my responsibility to bridge cultural gaps. And you know, in Tamil, in my language, there's an interesting phrase, “Yaadhum oore yaavarum kelir,” which literally means, “All places are our town, and all people are our kin.” So to sum it up in three words, it was said by a poet called Kaniyan Poongunranar 2500 years ago. It really means the world is one, and all the people here are one. So as a global ambassador, I feel like from the lessons I've learned during my exchange, I would definitely foster understanding across cultures. And when I go back to India, I am encouraged to promote conversations regarding culture, understanding and awareness, and make people think globally.

Kate M.   
Well, I'm very happy to hear that, and it sounds like you've had a great three months, and you're not even halfway. You still have so much more to do, and so much you know, more ways in which you can grow and learn more about theU.S.and learn about yourself in the process. Absolutely, I think, I think that's it for me. Does there anything else you want to add about your experience so far?

Naveenaa P.   
To sum it up in one word, I would say my experience is epic. It was more than I imagined. And I'm getting to see amazing people and  amazing places. It's really good. I'm really loving my new life inU.S.here as an exchange student. So I would say that I'm very grateful for my school, AFS India, AFS USA, my coordinator and my host family, you and everyone. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity.  

Kate M.   
Thank you so much, and it's been great talking to you, and I'm glad that you've had such a great time so far. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me.

Kate M.
That was Naveenaa, a YES Program participant from Madurai, India, sharing about her year of exploration with her host family in Michigan. Her most valuable experiences so far have been discovering the beauty of the American outdoors- camping, hiking, and exploring beautiful parks, thanks to her adventurous host family.

Inspired by Naveenaa's story? Want to open your home and share your own piece of America with an exchange student? Visit afsusa.org/host to learn more about becoming a host family.

[Music]

Kate M.
Thank you for listening to The AFS Exchange! We'll be taking a short break between seasons, but don't worry- we'll be back early next year with new stories about the impact of international exchange.

In the meantime, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so that you'll be notified when Season 5 kicks off.

As we mentioned earlier, we're eager to hear your ideas for the next season. Who would you like us to interview? Are there any study abroad podcasts or creators you think we should connect with?   Let us know!  Send your suggestions to podcast@afsusa.org.

Thank you so much for your support, have a great holiday season, and you’ll hear from us again soon!

This podcast was created by Kate Mulvihill. Social media by Julie Ball and Nina Gaulin.