Katie's coming home!!

Two years ago my youngest daughter came home from school one day and announced that she wanted to go on an exchange. At the time Katie was a 14 year old grade nine student. She had gotten the idea from a friend of hers in drama class who was here from France. I told Katie that I thought it was a wonderful idea- she would have to look into it and find out all the information and she would have to pay for the entire trip herself. I don't believe that I actually thought at the time that she would go through with it.- I was wrong.

Katie went to school and researched the whole thing, she spoke to guidance councilors, teachers and previous exchange students. We got all the info and we were off and running. Katie had a 10 page application to fill out, we had a home visit, there were organizational meetings. The cost of Katie's trip was $2200.00. Katie did manage to raise all the money herself, she got a part time job on Saturdays, she picked eggs at her uncle's farm, she coached synchro at summer camp, she organized a garage sale at our house. All Katie asked for for her birthday and Christmas was money for her exchange. She raised the cost of her trip and had spending money to boot!

Now the waiting began. We sent of f Katie's application in December and had to see who she would be matched with. Katie's top 2 countries were Italy and Luxembourg. We got word back in May that Katie had made a match in Italy. Her partner was a couple years older than Katie but was very excited to come to Canada, they lived on the coast in Italy, near the sea. It sounded wonderful.

The girls communicated back and forth, we sent pictures and got to know each other families. Katie left for the month of July to do LIT training at summer camp. While Katie was gone I received word that her exchange partner had pulled out, she was too afraid to come and stay here but they would still be willing to host Katie. To say we were devastated would be correct. All Katie's hard work and her planning was falling apart. I contacted to association to see if any other matches could be made- Katie was willing to go anywhere but all the matching had been completed. Katie now had 3 choices, she could do half an exchange and go to Italy for her 3 months, she could wait and do the exchange the following year or she could skip the whole thing and save her money. Katie decided she would go to Italy like she had planned. It wouldn't be the same, she would not have an exchange student here for 3 months to show around and get to know but she would have the experience of being there at least. It was an unfortunate situation but the best we could do.

The first day of school in September was hard for Katie, she had been so excited about bring her exchange partner to school. I went off to my school in the morning after dropping the girl's off at their high school. At lunch I received a phone call. There was an exchange student from Luxembourg , living in Toronto who needed to be removed from the home she was in- would we be interested in taking her? After asking a few questions, finding out that the house was not safe for Jill, that she was the same age as Katie and talking to both her mother and Katie, we said yes- we would be happy to take her.

So Jill came and lived with us for 3 months. We had a great time. She was very happy to get away from the family inn Toronto and we were happy that Katie was now going to have the full exchange experience. We went to Ottawa, Niagara Falls, apple picking and paint balling, We had a wedding, Thanksgiving, Halloween and school dances for Jill to experience. Anything she had heard of and wanted to try we did. We went to Great wolf lodge, she got to have PJ day at school, we went to Toronto, it was a crazy, exhausting, wonderful time. Jill fit in great with our family. She had an older sister like Katie, liked school and made friends. We were sad to see her go in November.

Our family regrouped in December with a trip to Mexico, we had Christmas , Katie wrote her exams and then on February 10th Katie left for Luxembourg. It was hard to see her go through the gate at the airport. I was so excited and proud of her but still that was my baby, leaving for 12 weeks!

Well the 12 weeks are up, Katie is coming home tomorrow. She has done some amazing things, skiing in Italy, shopping in Germany, a weekend in Paris followed by a week in Avignon. She has gone to school, learned to understand Luxembourgish, made a bunch of new friends. She went to visit a concentration camp site, she has been to The Louve, many churches and museums. So many things I can only imagine, she has done.

I am sure that my little girl has done a lot of growing up. She has had to handle situations and experiences that someone her age normally would not. I am so proud of her and I am looking forward to seeing the maturity that has occurred while she has been away but I know deep down inside there- she is still my baby and all she wants from me tomorrow is a huge hug!