07/13/2024
Meet the Steadman family from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee!
Over the past 11 years, our family has been blessed to host 9 different exchange students from 9 different countries. Each one has been a unique and wonderful learning experience. We were hesitant at first. How could we handle someone else's grown kid? Could we communicate effectively with them? How would we keep them entertained in our small town? How much would we have to alter our lifestyle to make them comfortable? What about religious beliefs, discipline, their influence on our children? So many questions came racing through our minds. Honestly, we were nervous. But, we took the plunge! And, we are forever grateful! We learned that kids are kids no matter where they are born. They can communicate. We were surprised at their ability to understand us enough to communicate. Tennessee accents can be a struggle sometimes. Our small town had so much to offer-school, sports, movies, the fair, church events, state park, plays, shopping, dining. They were enthralled with our community. We didn't have to change much in the way of our lives. Yes, there was an extra person or two. But, our home was full of laughter, love, typical teen behaviors, their friends from school and church, and stories about new American discoveries. There are ups and downs, but who doesn't have those! Every single one went to church with us. They followed our rules fairly well and learned new ways to understand others. We could never afford to travel the world. We wanted our children to realize there was more to life than where they were born. So, exchange hosting brought the world to our home. We still communicate with every single one of our exchange sons. Several have come back to visit and more visits are planned. Thanks to exchange, we are the proud parents of 12 sons- three by birth and nine by airplane! Our only regret was not hosting sooner!
