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 Cristina, “Thank you very much for everything. It’s very
difficult to find words to express all what you have done to me. You
are like my family. I feel like home and that’s something that I
never imagined that was gonna happen. Thank you very much.” Cristina
was hosted by Madeline Moody and her family.
Miren, “I’m gonna try to not cry. I just want to thank
everyone, like the school staff, just everyone who put so much
effort into it and I think we are all so grateful for it.
“I think it has been a really, really nice thing to do. I think all
the teachers did a great job in school for like getting us involved
into all the classes and everything because they really tried to
make us comfortable.
“Obviously, Rachel, Ana and Isa who spent all their free time on
like, doing this and it was great.
“I thank just like all the families, obviously, especially mine for
having me there and it has been great. (Miren gets very emotional
here) I just...I just wish this like...I don’t know...I just...it’s
a really great thing to do...and I just can’t wait for you guys to
come to Spain and I wish we have a great time.” Miren was hosted by
Olivia Letterle and her family.
Paula, “Thank you, teachers, for making this possible. Thank
you family, for making me feel like I am at home, but with more
people. And it was an amazing experience.” Paula was hosted by
Fikirte Mott and Alyssa Stauffer and their families.
Maria, “First I have to say thank you for Rachel and Ana and
Isa for making this possible. This has been an amazing opportunity
and I won’t forget.
“And I have to say thank you to the Wade family because they are
like my family.” Maria was hosted by Isabella Wade and her family.
Maria is also the daughter of Ana.
Ainhoa, “I don’t know if I can say all the things I want to
say. But I want to say thank you for teachers to make this possible.
And especially to Emily’s family. Dad is not here this night (Rob
Siebert was conducting Big Wednesday) but I want to say thank you
for your family and thank you for him because....sorry....(her voice
is breaking up as she begins to cry) I don’t know.” Ainhoa was
hosted by Emily Siebert and her family.
Patricia, “I am not good at doing these things and maybe I
forgot so...first of all, I want to say thank you to the teachers
because they make this possible.
“I’m really glad to have been in your family this three weeks. It
has been amazing. I’ve never done something like this. I am really
going to miss running from one class to another. I am really going
to miss you, but I will see you again. You guys rock.” Patricia was
hosted by Jaden Elliott and her family.
Maria (a twin), “First, thank you, Ana, Isa and Rachel for
everything...for all of this and everything, because everything is
perfect. Thank you to my family because mine really was amazing.
Thank you to Emma and Abbey for trying to talk more slowly. Thank
you.” Maria was hosted by Emma Schoth and Abbey Phillips and their
families.
Karla, “Okay, the first one I say, thank you for all the
teachers and Rachel for making this experience come true. So the
first one I say is I don’t have words to express my emotions right
now. The first woman that you send me and you (she looks at Skylar
and begins to get emotional) and now I am so happy, and my family, I
love it. I love you....with all my heart. (lots of laughter and
tears here) I don’t have words...” Karla was hosted by Skylar Hayes
and her family.
Nuria (the other twin), “I am so excited. First of all, I am
so thankful for all of you for making this possible. My family was
amazing with me. They tried to...I don’t know how to say it...they
were like my family and I was so thankful.
“Thank you for the Oreos.” (lots of laughter and clapping) Nuria was
hosted by Faith Doerr and her family.
Elena, “I just want to thank you for everything and
especially my family because they mean a lot to me. They have been
amazing and I love them so much and because they made me feel like
home.” (more laughter and tears) Elena was hosted by Abby Howard and
her family.
Jakub, “First, thank you so much for Ana, Isa and Rachel for
making this possible. I had a very good time in this new experience
in my life. Thank you, Sebastian and his family, for making this
possible. Thank you.” Jakub was hosted by Sebastian Scassiferro and
his family.
Jamie, “Well, first of all, Rachel and some of you, I say
here that this is a crazy experience. I thought that every crazy
people is happy. So thank you because I think me and all of you are
happy now.
“Thank you for the high school experience and thank you for
classmates. I mean it’s a new experience and the first week I feel
like “High School Musical.” (a loud outburst of laughter here)
“Thank you for the family. They work a lot to host me so thank you.
Thank you for the schoolwork, America to me, I mean watch football
much. I mean I couldn’t have any better American experience, so
thank you.
“Well, the place is perfect. Well, I never thought to see so much
corn in the same place. But it’s incredible here and all around, so
thank you all.” Jaime was hosted by Peyton Taylor and his family.
Luis, “First, thanks for all teachers that made it possible
for us to come.
“Second, I would say thanks for all my family, for Corey, for all
the Beccue’s and all the Saladino’s for the possibility to be with
them.
“Thanks for being possible to sit in the student section of the
football match. It was amazing. Corey wasn’t cheering but it was
amazing.
“And then for Corey because in the match I was like crazy and he
didn’t hit me but I don’t know why. I was so crazy.
[to top of second column] |
“Thanks to all for the high school for the opportunity, for our high school and
for Mount Pulaski High School for giving us the opportunity to come there. I
want to come back.
"If I can I will destroy my passport and live here. Okay?! If I don’t have the
passport in Chicago I stay here. Okay?! Thanks!” Luis was hosted by Corey Beccue
and his family.
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That evening spent in the basement of the church was very special. It was
obvious the kids just didn’t want the night to end and neither did the parents.
All the laughter and chatter among the families was so heartwarming. There were
so many tears shed, hugs shared and smiles a mile wide that it was impossible to
not feel the love.
Ana agreed that something special was happening. “It’s been very special for all
of us. It’s worth it, all the work that we have done, when you see smiling and
they want to stay a longer time. Our work is worth it when you see them.
“You never know when it’s the first time without knowing. We skyped twice and
then we emailed a lot and sent text messages. But you never know what’s going to
happen.”
Ana continued, “The support from the school and the teachers is also very
important and then, of course, the families. It’s just been wonderful for all of
us.”
While Mount Pulaski School District families have hosted foreign exchange
students going back several years ago, this is first time a mutual exchange
involving a group has taken place.
It’s safe to say this first time was a success and hopefully the project will
continue for years to come.
Time to say “hasta luego” - we will see you later
Finally, on Friday, September 30, 2016, there was a farewell
breakfast at the high school for the Spaniards right before they
departed on a bus bound for Chicago. As you can imagine, there were
many more tears and hugs that morning at the school.
These students will see each other again next summer when the MPHS
students board a plane bound for Madrid. The Americans will spend
three weeks in Spain and there is no doubt it will be an amazing
trip for them.
Final words from Rachel
“In a nutshell, this was a great first run at making this work at
MPHS.
“I spent many a day in my hammock and at my computer this summer
planning every detail. I spent countless hours double and
triple-checking every detail from lunch money to permission forms to
parental contacts.
“My host families worked tirelessly to ensure we had great spaces
for our guests. Not once, seriously, not once, was anyone late or
disrespectful or out of line. It took a village, and we did it!
“I am grateful for the experience. Every moment hashing through
every detail was 100-percent worth it. We gave our guests a great
English language and Central Illinois/American experience.
 “Now, on to the Costa Rican hosting experience in January.
“And, then, this group of kiddos gets to go to Madrid in June, where
undoubtedly, we will get the same treatment from our hosts as we
gave them. We will be in great hands.”
[Teena Lowery]
My two cents
“I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason”
and “But because I knew you...I have been changed for good” are just
two of lines from the song “For Good” from the Broadway smash
musical “Wicked” that I think of as I reflect on what I just
witnessed between the students of MPHS and their Spaniards.
I only briefly observed these kids interact with each other but each
and every time I saw smiles, hugs, laughter and tears.
It’s amazing to observe high school kids interact with each other
honestly, when they don’t even realize adults are watching and, in
my case, taking notes.
This experience was incredible and it furthers my belief in this
personal theory of mine: there are great people all over this planet
and we can all LOVE each other. We can embrace our cultural
differences and build lasting relationships.
This experience has been life-changing for many people, and in the
most positive way. Ana and I spoke the evening of the farewell
dinner about the all the negativity kids see in the news these days
and she put it best when she looked at the kids and said, “You can
see that friendship is bigger and kids are kids everywhere.”
Thank you Rachel, Ana, Isa and all of the students for making this
world a better place.
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