I’m so so SO excited I can finally share this exciting news!
After a bit of a lengthy application process that involved some forms, background checks, a home visit, an orientation, and more forms, Ryan and I were not only approved to host a foreign exchange student for the 2026-2027 school year, but also actually got a student…
…and have been in touch with her!
Kristina gets here in just a few short weeks. We are beyond giddy!
I’ve always wanted to host an exchange student. My high school interactions with the exchange students in my community — Lea, Masha, Ann-Kathrin — stood out as a really cool way to learn about international customs and culture.
My aunt and late uncle hosted an exchange student for a period of time too, and they had such a positive experience.
Literally three days after Ryan and I put an offer in on our townhouse, I filled out a form to get in contact with a FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange Program) coordinator so I could get started on the hosting process.
FLEX is a program that places students from former Soviet Union countries into American schools and households. Working with FLEX as my exchange-program-of-choice was a no-brainer after meeting and working with some of the FLEX students in Khmelnytskyi during my Peace Corps service!
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I filled out a form on the FLEX website and was put in touch with Marcia, our local coordinator. The two of us met for coffee at Bookman’s last fall so I could learn more about the program. I expressed my desire to host a Ukrainian, and she let me know more about the program and assured me she would put in a request for a Ukrainian FLEX student for the two of us.
Marcia and I kept working together as I completed my host family application and background check in late January.
Ryan and I prioritized getting our exchange student’s bedroom put together during all of our ongoing home renovations, and we had the bedroom painted and furnished in time for Marcia to come over for a home visit in early February.
We got our exchange student’s profile the week before our home visit, when we were pulling some early mornings and late nights to paint ceilings, frame in duct work, thrift for furniture and hang curtains.
The timing ended up working out so well. It was so fun to refer to our project as “Kristina’s room” during the last-minute renovations.
“Do you think Kristina would want a desk?”
“Should we buy some poster frames so Kristina can hang her own decorations?”
It made it feel all the more real.
Then it was just a loooot of waiting.
Finally, FINALLY, Kristina was notified she was selected for the program, and was given our contact information.
We got an email from her last month.
We’ve been chatting quite a bit over the last month. It’s been nice to learn about her life in her city and what school has been like for her, and to hear a bit more about what she wants to do and see while she’s living in the U.S. for this coming school year.
She’ll arrive a little bit after the school year starts. She’ll be a junior at Coconino High School, and we really hope we can give her the experience she’s hoping to have.
We’re a little nervous since, yunno, we’ve never parented before, but Kristina already seems like such an absolute gem.
We can’t wait to pick her up at the airport! It’ll be here before we know it.
