Host families sought for exchange students

By KATY SAVAGE
[email protected]
CHESTER, Vt. — Bella Tumur-Ochir came to this country to improve her English.

Bella, 16, is from Mongolia and has attended Green Mountain Union High School for the past school year.

Bella is experiencing programs that aren’t available in Mongolia, she said. She’s part of the winter and spring track teams at GMUHS as well as the Environment Club and CIRCLE Club, which supports LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer). She’s also learned about a popular Vermont tradition — maple sugaring.

“In my country, we don’t have these kinds of things,” said Bella who wants to return to the United States to study science in college. “It’s pretty new for me.”

About 900 exchange students are expected to arrive in the country through the Program of Academic Exchange in August and will need host families for the entire school year. There are currently about 17 exchange students in southern Vermont and New Hampshire.

Finding families willing to host is a challenge.

“People have this perception of what an ideal host family is,” said Kimberly Eckhardt, the local community coordinator for exchange program. “It doesn’t have to be that.”

Students hail from 70 countries after applying through a rigorous screening process. They are aged 15 to 18 and have studied English for at least three years before coming to the United States.  They have their own medical insurance and spending money.

Eckhardt, who lives in Landgrove, Vt. with her husband and their 3-year-old daughter, have hosted students from Ghana, the Czech Republic and other countries on a short- and long-term basis.

“You learn so much,” said Eckhardt of her decision to host.  “It brings in so many different aspects of the world to our home.”

Eckhardt is trying to find local families by the end of May or June.

Those interested in hosting should contact Eckhardt at (802) 824-3792 or email [email protected] for an application.