Family from Eldersburg, MD

“Last summer, my family decided at the very last minute to join the program. It was very spur of the moment, and we had no idea what to expect. At first, I was nervous. Who was this girl that had come across the sea to stay with us? She was sweet, friendly, and a really cool person, but I was very shy. I had no idea what to say. After a while, we started to warm up to each other, and she became like a big sister to me. We’d hang out in her room, and she’d ask my advice on things. She liked to write like I did, and so we talked about writing and traded stories. When she had to go, she gave everyone in my family a little good-bye gift. When she gave me mine, I started to cry. She came and gave me a hug, and started to cry, too. We both stood there, crying for a while, not wanting her to leave. We gave each other our emails, and it was bittersweet, watching her leave. But, we still email to this day, telling each other tales of our lives. We even sent each other birthday presents. The whole experience was heartwarming and enlightening. I’m still learning more things about her, and she is a very inspiring person. I am so glad the program brought her into my life.” -an American “host sibling,”