Spotlight on Alumni
In the News - November 2005
Alumni Now Hosting
The impact of a Youth For Understanding exchange program is much greater than the weeks, months, or year that a student is actually on program abroad. The friendships made and experiences from the exchange often last a lifetime. Many YFU alumni reconnect with the organization because of the fond memories of their own experience and their commitment to international exchange. This is the case for Crystal Hoffman and Kevin Krebs, both former YFU participants who now are hosting YFU students of their own.
Crystal went to Finland on the summer program in 1987. Today, Crystal,
along with her husband Jeff and two small children, live in Cincinnati,
Ohio. They are host parents to Xiaomin Duan from China. The Hoffmans have
hosted six YFU students since 2000. “My husband was also an exchange student
when he was in high school, and we knew that someday when we settled down
we'd like to open our home to students coming to the US and allow them the
opportunity we both had to learn about another culture through the home-stay
experience,” says Crystal. “We were at a point in our life that we felt we
had a lot to offer, and felt it was time to host when we began hosting four
years ago.”
Kevin is an alumnus of the 1980 year program to Denmark. Kevin and his
wife Cheryl live in Savage, Minnesota with their three children. They are
hosting Constantin Birkefeld from Germany. This is their first time hosting
an exchange student. Kevin explains, “Cheryl and I first made a tentative
decision and because we felt comfortable ourselves, we then asked the kids.
Kristin, our oldest daughter, was thrilled with the idea and said ‘we must.’ Karl, our son (who would be the same age as our host son Constantin), was
excited, but was initially slightly apprehensive. I think he was concerned
about how he and his host brother would get along and if they would like
each other. Claire, our youngest, just laughed with encouragement. We then
knew it was a good decision. It felt right and the family was on board - we
knew we could do this.”
Kevin admitted that, hosting for the first-time, there are challenges. “The most challenging task is being too nice, that is to say, still treating him like a guest and not a member of the home. You want to cut your host student slack, but at the same time they are now instant members of the family expected to carry their own weight. It was Constantin who came to us and said “give me more to do, I do not have enough chores.” Those may have been the best words I heard come from him yet! A positive attitude like that has helped strengthen our position on how we should include him in our daily lives.”
For Crystal and Jeff, the rewards of hosting far outweigh any challenges that come with the commitment. “When the student shares their reactions to our culture and observations about our community with us it helps us learn more about ourselves and our community. Also, when our student(s) really open up and turn to us, as family, for support during their year here it feels like we're really making a difference in the world. I love to see my two-year old daughter learning to share our home and her things, and learning to accept new people.”
The Hoffmans and the Krebs both value international exchange, a direct result of Crystal and Kevin’s first-hand experiences as exchange students.
“Hosting allows me to gain a personal connection to other parts of the world, and in turn helps me be more aware of news and events around the world,” says Crystal. “There is no equal to the home-stay experience to learn about another culture and to really immerse yourself in a language and learn it. My host sister from my stay in Finland is now married to an Italian, and we went there for the wedding recently... so my connections around the world just keep expanding through the years.”
Kevin concurs, “Cultural exchange is a valuable experience for all to share, regardless of age. The opportunity to share with someone who we are and to hear where they are from and about is just ‘good learning.’ This cannot be read about or taught in a school. It has to be experienced. Challenges will arise, but it is these challenges that make us all stronger. It is the learning experience that changes who we are and how we perceive others. This is where the exchange program is at it best. To fundamentally change through an experience is a tremendous gift. It is one that had a profound impact on me 25 years ago and again today. Only today, it will affect my entire family and Constantin too.”
Youth For Understanding USA recognizes the tremendous commitment made by all of our host families in opening their home to a foreign teenager. Seeing our own program alumni like Kevin and Crystal, now as host parents, is very rewarding and is confirming of our mission and the impact YFU has on so many lives.
All YFU Programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.
Last Updated:
Tuesday, November 22, 2005 08:45 PM