This woman may not have kids, but she’s been a mom away from home to 23 different exchange students over the years! In an absolutely heartwarming post on social media, she demonstrated how hosting young people from all over the world has changed her for the better. Although she was there to help these kids navigate a new country, she learned as much from them as they did from her. This host mom is beyond grateful for the impact these children have made in her life!
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“As a single woman with no family of my own by the age of 54, I’ve hosted 23 exchange students,” the woman wrote at the beginning of her slideshow. “Here’s how my lifestyle has changed thanks to my kids from around the world.”
In her post, the host mom explained how her exchange students shared a little bit of their culture with her. It really opened her eyes to the fact that there are a million different ways to live! Many of these kids’ traditions and habits stuck with her long after they went home.
For example, this woman shared that Adaora, an exchange student from Nigeria, convinced her to put more effort into her breakfasts. So, instead of just grabbing a quick bite, she now cooks up a warm meal with lots of flavor!
“No more toast and coffee — I’m talking yams, eggs, and spicy pepper sauce!” she wrote. “Now, I wake up actually excited to eat.”
This host mom has learned so much from her exchange students!
Something this host mom picked up from her Brazilian exchange student was the habit of taking an afternoon nap, or siesta. According to the young woman, it would make her feel refreshed and “keep stress at bay.” Meanwhile, a Korean student had taught this woman to spend her mornings meditating, while a French student had introduced her to “the art of doing nothing.”
One of the sweetest things about this post is how the host referred to these exchange students as her daughters. What a beautiful reminder that you don’t need to be a biological mother to be someone’s mom! Although this woman hosted these exchange students temporarily, the impact of their time together will last a lifetime.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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