Traveling the world and experiencing new cultures provides one of the best forms of education a person can receive. While many people take a vacation for a week or so every year, few get to stay in one place for an extended period and really immerse themselves in a new culture.
Working closely with International Student Exchange (ISE), Center Grove High School has hosted 57 students going as far back as 2008. This program is a great example of what is possible when people are open to new experiences.
Founded in 1982, ISE allows students from all over the world to get a taste of everything the United States has to offer. They are required to take a typical course load of classes, with English and U.S. history classes required. In addition to this, they are encouraged to play sports, join clubs, engage in community service, and try any extracurricular activities that get them active in the community.
Each student’s stay in the U.S. can vary based on their home country’s school schedule, but most stay for an entire academic year. Each student is paired with a host family in the area who will help them adapt to life away from home, most likely for the first time.
For these host families, welcoming someone from another country into their home is a life-changing experience, and many continue to do it for years after.
One such group of participants is Melissa Plunkett’s family. They have been hosting students for 15 years and will host their 22nd student this fall. Treating every new experience like an opportunity to grow, the family has thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this program.
For Plunkett, each hosting experience is unique and a chance to form a lifelong bond with someone.
“We have learned as much from every student as they have learned from us,” Plunkett says.
After years of hosting, Plunkett began working for ISE, where she has a direct impact on the experiences of many different students.
“The best part for me is making those connections,” Plunkett says. “I know I have family all over the world. The students, not just the ones I’ve hosted but also the ones I’ve supervised, all know that they have a home in the United States. If they come back, I’d immediately say, ‘I’ve got a room for you.’”
One such student is Umberto Bezerra Cruz Neto, who is originally from Brazil. He was an exchange student during the 2011-2012 school year and was a guest of the Plunkett family. At the time, Neto was 16 years old and was excited for the opportunity to attend an American school and take in as much of the culture as he could.
While he was attending Center Grove, Neto had the opportunity to make new friends, travel, and make memories that will last a lifetime. He could not believe the size of the school and the variety of subjects available to study.
What stood out the most, however, is how he felt right at home with his host family.
“It’s very hard to put into words what the exchange experience meant to me, because to this day I consider it the best experience of my life,” Neto says. “I truly felt like I gained a new family because the connection was immediate. I felt incredibly welcomed and a deep sense of belonging with them. To this day I hold the greatest affection for them and have even returned a couple of times to spend Christmas with them. They were undoubtedly the best part of my exchange program.”
Reflecting on the impact that the program had on his life after his year in the United States, Neto said “you will become a different person after your exchange. A clear example of this is that today I work with education and youth in the Brazilian government. And do you know who worked in this field? My host mom. At the time she was a teacher at a Montessori school, and I vividly remember when she showed me a book about Maria Montessori, renowned worldwide for the educational method she developed. Through her I discovered what it means to work with purpose, and that inspired me so much that it has shaped my professional career ever since. “
Neto is still regularly in touch with the Plunketts as well as many of the other friends he made during his time at Center Grove. His advice for prospective exchange students is that while being away from home for the first time might be scary, you have to make the most of it and try to appreciate the little things.
Looking toward the future, the program will seek to expand its offerings and take in even larger numbers of exchange students.
“We are always looking for host families – for people willing to open their homes and their hearts,” Plunkett says.
Exchange programs like ISE allow many students around the world the ability to expand their education and cultural awareness while making a positive change to their lives. Promoting cultural understanding and friendship is just one small way people can make the world a better place.