On a recent shopping trip, 15-year-old Yu “Crystal” Chem looked through clothes at Leigh Mall in Columbus. She got a chuckle out of seeing “made in China” on the labels.
“A lot of the clothes here are made in China, but in China we don”t wear those things,” Crystal said.
“Fashion (in the U.S.) is so different,” she smiled.
Sitting at Frankie Colom”s house on Ridge Road last week, reminiscing about spending her weekdays at a boarding school in China, Crystal seemed at home.
And until June, she is. Colom, who is mother to two adult children of her own, is Crystal”s host mom.
“The best part of this has been watching Crystal grow and become accustomed and become comfortable with me,” Colom said, sitting beside Crystal on the sofa. “She”s really sweet — not so different from the young people here.”
When Crystal arrived in Columbus in August, she struggled with English. And while she breezed through math, U.S. history was especially challenging because of all the reading.
“The language,” Crystal said, was confusing.
But Tuesday, Crystal, a junior at Columbus High School, breezed through questions and chatted about family and home with confidence in her English.
“I hope that she will be able to go back to China say that it was well worth coming to America,” said Colom.
The experience also offers host families a chance to broaden their horizons.
“It”s a great experience,” said Dr. Robert Voller, who, along with his wife, Kevin, is hosting two exchange students — Louise Lyhne of Denmark and Louise “Louisa” Forlin of Sweden, both 18 and juniors at Heritage Academy. “You get to see how other people live and what they think of America.”
“America is so big, and there are so many different parts,” said Louise, who admits her ideas of America came mostly from TV. “Mostly on TV is California or New York.”
Both girls enjoy the more laid-back style of dress they”ve encountered here.
“Here, they don”t dress up as much,” said Louisa. “(At home), some girls even wear heels (to school.)”
“Here, it”s more relaxed, which is nice,” Louise added.
American food also is an adjustment.
Crystal”s favorite local dish is fried chicken. Louise and Louisa have most enjoyed the traditional Thanksgiving fare; they also take turns cooking dishes from their home countries.
Louisa has cooked Danish pastry and fried pork with parsley sauce; Louise has prepared Swedish meatballs and crepe-like Swedish pancakes.
”Just like our kids here”
There are about 20 exchange students with the International Student Exchange in the Golden Triangle area and about six with the International Cultural Exchange Services, representing the countries of Slovakia, China, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Serbia, Thailand, Austria, Switzerland, Vietnam, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
“I try and put different countries in the area, so there won”t be a big cluster of any certain nationality,” said Joy Collins, regional coordinator for IES. “My goal is for the students to bring the culture of their country to this area.”
Collins also hopes “to build better international relations and to make the students more aware of their world, help with geography, politics, language and customs of foreign countries.”
“Everyone that I either host or supervise, I learn something from them,” said Marsha Murphy, local coordinator with ICES. “I cannot imagine being 15, 16, 17 years old and coming to a country that you know little about and to a family that you know nothing about — new school, new language. … They”re forced to become more independent … and grow in independence by leaps and bounds.”
Both Collins and Murphy have hosted exchange students for many years.
“The students in foreign countries are just like our kids here,” Collins said. “It”s a lot smaller world than you think.”
“It”s kind of a way of being involved in foreign missions in your own home,” said Murphy.
Louise and Louisa are the Vollers” fourth duo of exchange students. And they have traveled overseas to visit former exchange students and their families.
“The lifelong friendships and relationships you have with students, they last for as long as both parties want. … They”re like a part of your family,” said Kevin Voller.
It is Colom”s first time hosting a foreign exchange student. But she is a registered foster parent and embraces programs focused on helping young people.
After Crystal met her parents in Los Angeles for Christmas, they commended Colom on how mature Crystal had become since she left China.
“You just have to want to be involved, have time to spend with the young people and be committed,” Colom said. “You have to share your house, your love. And this is someone else”s child, and they”ve entrusted you to take care of them.”
HOST A STUDENT
· International Student Exchange: Local coordinator Joy Collins, 662-813-3164; www.iseusa.com
· International Cultural Exchange Services: Coordinator Marsha Murphy, 662-251-7603 or 662-328-9157; www.icesusa.org
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