Host Family Testimonials

I am constantly being told that I lead a charmed life. I guess I do. Widowed at a young age, I thought that my dreams of a family were gone. Who would have ever thought that I would end up with a large family? When I heard about the possibility of hosting an international exchange student, I knew that it was for me.

I started hosting students in the late 1980s and have hosted 19 students. I am currently looking at student profiles to select #20! My students have been from 17 different countries. These students have been from Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, South America, Australia, and Asia. Wow! 

Seldom does a day go by that I don’t get an email from at least one of them. Many of them have come back to visit and I have visited many of them. We even had a “reunion” several years ago in Poland. We came from eight countries.  Even though most of them had never met, they knew that they were all part of the Curtis Family.

My exchange students have kept me young and active. Because of them, I have continued to be involved in the community. These years with exchange students have been a lot of fun for me and my family, friends, and neighbors. I am so glad that I chose to be a host parent those many years ago.

Linda Curtis
Maryland
 

Linda and her great nephew, Brian, with his "Living History" project featuring all of the exchange
students Linda had hosted at the time.  In the years since this project, Linda has added several
more students to her international family.  Thank you Linda!