Cultural Exchange Creates Lifelong Relationships

My name is Sarah, and my family has been a host family for 15 years, both long-term and short-term. While we’ve learned many wonderful new things from every student we’ve hosted, there are some who stay a part of your family forever.

Jackie from Germany, whom we hosted for the 2013–14 school year, is one of those students. Jackie came to our family when she was just 15 years old. She fit in so well with us, tall, funny, family-oriented, and we loved her right away.

The day she went back to Germany was so sad; all of us cried so much. But she came back the next summer to visit, and every summer after that for the next several years. Then she grew up and got a job, traveled to other countries instead of the U.S., and we hadn’t seen her since 2019.

Last month I received a surprise WhatsApp message from Jackie:

“I will be in Austin for business and want to extend my trip to come visit you!”

We hadn’t really talked for a while, but it didn’t matter because she knew we would always welcome her back. I didn’t worry about how long it had been since we’d seen her or about it being awkward at all. She is my daughter and we love her.

Of course, it was just as we expected. Though she was only here for four days, she slid right back into the family. All grown up, so mature, but still the caring daughter and sister to my kids. We promised to not let so much time pass before we saw her again and said goodbye closer than ever.

Stories like ours aren’t unique so many Go World Host Families stay connected long after the program ends

The Goodell Family Reunites With Agathe

Students don’t have to be with host families for a full year to form close bonds. The Goodell family was recently visited by Agathe, a student from France whom they first met two years ago when she came to stay with them for three weeks as part of a group. Agathe and Goodell daughter Lily are the same age and had many common interests.

“Agathe and I got along really well,” says Lily. “We both enjoyed working out and exercising so just about every day we would take a run around my neighborhood. We grew to know each other really well during these times. She would tell me about her life in France and likewise I would tell about mine in America.”

Two years later, Agathe came back to the Goodell family for a two-week visit. This time, Agathe wasn’t coming through a program as an exchange student, rather she was coming as a friend. Lily and the whole Goodell family were so excited!

Lily says: “There was no stranger shyness. She was like a part of the family now. It’s as if we had just picked up our sister. In her own words Agathe said, ‘We are not sisters by blood but by heart.’ We are just waiting until the next time that we are able to see each other again. Just think, if it weren’t for foreign exchange student programs such as Go World I would not have had the opportunity to meet my best friend.”

How Cultural Exchange Builds Lasting Connections

Stories like these remind us that cultural exchange isn’t just about travel or language and it’s about building lifelong relationships.

At Go World, we see it every season. Through our short-term cultural exchange programs, students who start as guests often become family. Parents who host an international student in the U.S. for just two weeks often gain lifelong connections, friendships, and new perspectives that reshape the way they see the world.

These stories are why Go World Host Families continue to open their homes year after year. Because when you welcome a student, you’re not just hosting, you’re creating a connection that can last a lifetime.

Share Your Story or Get Involved

We love hearing stories from Go World Host Families about the bonds formed through cultural exchange.

Already a Go World Family? Share your story with us on our Go World Host Families Facebook Group or email us at info@goworldedu.org

Interested in becoming a host family? Learn how you can welcome a student through our short-term cultural exchange programs. Become a Go World Host Family

Want to learn more first? Check out our Host Family Q&A to see what hosting is really like.