By Jennifer Seaton, Greenheart Host Family
“Have you ever thought about cultural exchange?” It was the question our local coordinator, Wilma Fast, asked as we were leaving a high school open house several years ago. We said yes to hosting an exchange student, and it has forever changed us.
Our Hosting Experience
We hosted Gabriele from Italy for the 2023-24 school year. It was an amazing experience to share everyday American life with him. We traveled together. We learned about authentic Italian cooking, his culture, and his family. When he returned home, we missed him greatly, but it gave us something to look forward to – reuniting in Italy. At Christmastime we had the pleasure of visiting his family and were delighted to be able to hug them and spend time together again.
The Excitement and Anticipation – Our family is going to Italy to see our high school exchange son!
Our family’s anticipation ran high in the weeks prior to our departure. The trip couldn’t come quickly enough! We thought of his family constantly as we planned, packed, and prepared gifts to take. We included some of Gabriele’s favorite foods, like ranch dressing, Chick-Fil-A sauce, and Pop-Tarts, from the U.S. which aren’t available in Italy.
Our Airport Arrival in Rome!
When we arrived at the airport in Rome on Christmas day, Gabriele and his dad, Giovanni, picked us up. It was so great to see them in person again and give hugs! We caught up on details of our lives on the drive to the countryside town where some of his family lives – we had been invited to join their Christmas lunch and celebration. The conversation was easy, as if we had never been apart. At their home, we were greeted by his mom, Pasqualina, and sister, Lorenza, who had been preparing a beautiful feast – two kinds of pasta, meats and vegetables, and a bountiful selection of sweets.
We were also introduced to Gabriele’s grandparents and were so excited to be able to meet and hug them as we had heard so much about them from Gabriele when he was in the U.S. That evening we enjoyed a tour of the town’s Christmas lights and were introduced to lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins who welcomed us like family. We spent time together with them laughing and playing Tombola (a Christmas game similar to American bingo) which helped us learn our Italian numbers. It was an unforgettable first day!
Exploring Italy from the Eyes of our Exchange Student and his Family
Over the next week we got to explore charming countryside towns, peaceful seaside villages, and of course Rome. Italy has so much to offer, and each place was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. At times my family explored on our own, but many times Gabriele’s family took us around. On one day when Gabriele had to study for university exams, his parents met up with us alone and showed us around Rome. We are not fluent in each other’s native languages, but we found ways to adapt and had a marvelous time together.
We saw many famous monuments – the Colosseum, the Vatican, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and much, much more. It was incredible having locals as guides because they not only took us to the famous places, but they also pointed out more subtle features of the community which we might not have noticed otherwise. For example, they called our attention to the green balcony of Napoleon’s mother, and the gold stumbling stones in the Jewish district commemorating Holocaust victims once taken from their homes, quietly evoking somber emotion. It was a gentle reminder that history is all around us and need not be large or prominent to be deserving of our attention.
Enjoying a Walking Tour, Guided by Our Exchange Student
One day we took a train from Rome to the city where Gabriele and his family live. It was so good to see the beautiful scenery of small towns and vineyards in the countryside along the way. In his city, Gabriele gave us a walking tour of some of the places he had talked about when he lived with us in the U.S. and it was nice to be able to finally see them! He also took us to an open-air market that had beautiful flowers and lots of produce that looked so fresh. His family hosted us at their home by preparing an amazing lunch of traditional Italian foods. Everything was delicious! Gabriele later drove us around to see more city sites and do a little shopping, and, in the evening, we returned to Rome on the train. It was such a fantastic day!
Celebrating New Year’s Eve with Gabriele’s Family
One of our final nights in Italy was on New Year’s Eve. Gabriele’s family took us to an amazing restaurant for dinner followed by a walk through the city streets where we arrived at a hill overlooking Piazza del Popolo. From there we were able to see the fireworks celebrating the New Year all over the city. Rome goes all out and the colors and sounds were stunning!
Time to Say Goodbye until we Meet again!
Saying another goodbye was just as difficult as the first. Through our tears we thanked them for welcoming us into their home and caring for us like family. Though it is difficult to part ways, we have the joy of waiting to reunite yet again. We would welcome our friends back to the U.S. anytime, and we cannot wait to return to Italy.
The Journey: An Amazing Gift!
This journey we are on – from hosting an exchange student, to visiting him and his family in their home country, to the adventures and memories that are yet to come – has been an amazing gift and I can’t imagine our lives without this connection. I would encourage anyone who has considered hosting even for a moment to just say YES! The impact can be life-changing for you, too!
Thank you so much, Jennifer and the entire Seaton family, for sharing such an amazing experience with us! Thank you for hosting with Greenheart.
Check out the Seaton Family’s other blog post, “Hosting Has Been a Lot of Fun and a Really Rewarding Experience for all of Us” to learn more about their hosting experience.
Are you interested in opening your heart and home to an international high school student? Visit HostWithGreenheart.org to meet our students arriving soon and apply today to host!
Do you know of a family who might be a good fit to host? Visit ReferWithGreenheart.org and if they are new hosts with Greenheart, you earn a reward!