My husband Ben and I do not have children. We both come from small but loving families, where we are only children. Our aunts, uncles, and parents are aging and spread widely across the country.
While we’re fortunate to have a wonderful group of found family (that includes many AFS volunteers!), hosting these brilliant, driven, and enthusiastic YES students has been the only authentic way our family continues to grow, instead of shrink. Our girls have brought tremendous amounts of laughter and love into our lives, and we are forever grateful for the opportunity to provide a caring home for them during their programs. Even after they return home, we cheer their successes and mourn their losses. When their cousins get married and graduate, we celebrate with them.
Above that, they have made us more empathetic humans. This extends to our friends and community members as well! When a tragedy strikes in a far-away place, we collectively put names and faces to the people there. In 2023, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southern Türkiye, my best friend’s mom sent me a text to ask if our student’s extended family was ok! This works in reverse as well, with each of our girls reaching out when they hear of situations that impact us here at home. They remember our birthdays, anniversaries, and continue to help us mark our special occasions.
During their YES programs, our students contribute to our family and community in many immeasurable ways. Fortunately for us, there are measurable ways as well! Our three YES students spent a combined total of 225 hours volunteering. They gave weekends to soup kitchens and animal shelters. They participated in local clean-ups, tutored children, and spent time in our libraries. One of them, upon returning home to Malaysia and realizing there weren’t many opportunities for young people to volunteer, was inspired to start her own volunteer club. Equally important and measurable: another of our students prepared precisely 42 Turkish dishes for us over the course of her year!
When our students are with us, we become the best versions of ourselves. We’re active in our communities and our school system, attending events, festivals, graduations, and farmers markets. We know our time with them is limited, so we jump on opportunities to take in the natural wonders around us like the Grand Canyon. We research new recipes, find hidden gem restaurants, and host more gatherings for our friends and family. We examine our beliefs and values when they ask us questions and become more articulate and thoughtful.
I am an [alum of AFS] (Brazil 03-04), so I understand deeply the impact that exchange programs can have. I adore my Brazilian host family, and the older I get the more I appreciate everything they did for me. My Brazilian sister has even met one of our YES students last year, turning my lifetime of exchange experiences into a full and beautiful circle. This is the meaning of family to me, this creation of an extended network of people who shape our lives in countless ways. Many of my favorite foods are Brazilian, and both my husband and I still catch ourselves using phrases from our Pakistani student. These are only some of the ways we carry the impact of these programs with us, and we remain hopeful that we’ll have the opportunity for our family to continue to grow, for our students to keep shaping the world, and for us to more fully appreciate the world around us.
Thank you for the opportunity,
Kayla Resnick
AFS-USA volunteer and host parent
Arizona Area Team
Learn more about becoming a host parent by attending an upcoming host family information session or by filling out this short form!