Our Family Hosts an Exchange Student

Mariana, Gary, me and Chris at a church dinner

When I was a senior in high school my family hosted an exchange student from Finland, Elina Salmi. Elina and her brothers were all exchange students, and Elina wanted her children to have the exchange student experience also.

Christmas 1998. My brother, Chris, Gary, Marianna, and Dad.

In spring of 1998 she contacted me. Her daughter Marianna was going to be an exchange student the coming school year. And she wanted us to host her! We said yes.

Chris and Marianna at a church party

Our son was starting Fifth Grade. Marianna was in the senior class at Sexton High School in Lansing. Our church had quite a few Sexton teachers, and many of our youth were students there.

Marianna under the quilt I made her.

Marianna was much like her mother, but with a more pronounced streak of Finnish stubborness. Whereas her mother was the youngest in her family, Marianna was the eldest child. Chris, of course, was an only child so it was an adjustment for him to have someone older in the house. As it should be, before the year was out I was experienced with sibling rivalry, ploys for attention, small fights, and the exasperation of shopping with a picky teenage girl.

Marianna helping with Vacation Bible School, June 1999.

The church embraced Marianna as one of their own. And she made friends with a great group of teenage girls at church. The youth group leaders, Opal and Tim Hanson, were wonderful friends to Marianna.

Marianna with Danielle and Michelle

At Sexton she pushed herself into uncomfortable areas, becoming involved with the school plays.

Marianna played the flute in church service.

Marianna played her flute at church

We couldn't travel as much as my family did with Elina, but we did go on local visits such as Frankenmuth, the Potter Park Zoo, the state capital, and to the ledges of Grand Ledge.

Chris and Marianna at Grand Ledge

And my dad and brother took Marianna and Chris with them to the cabin and exploring 'up north.' We also frequently visited Dad's place.

Dad repaired pin ball machines in his early retirement.
Dad and Marianna at Dad's house.

Dad, Chris, Marianna and Tom at Dad's house

Marianna went to Cedar Point with the Youth Group.

Marianna and Opal Hanson

And she went to the prom.

Dressed for the prom: Marianna, right, next to Danielle to her left

We held a big ice cream sundae party at the parsonage.

Boys from the church

Michelle, Danielle, and Marianna

Chris and his best friend

Mariana's senior graduation was at held the Wharton Center.

When packing up, Marianna had accumulated so many souvineers we had to ship a box of her things to Finland.

Back in Finland, Marianna went through her last year of high school and studied in Germany. She held a series of jobs, but when the economy tanked her employer closed.

She became active in a church group where she met a man who became her husband. In 2014 they came to Baltimore to study at their denomination's headquarters and visited us for a few days.

Kimmo Huovila and Marianna's wedding photo

Kimmo and Marianna on their visit, Thanksgiving 2014

Marianna's brother and sister also became exchange students to the U.S., but we did not host them. We thought that Elina's children should experience more than one American family and place!

Mariana's brother was hosted by a Michigan family and they spent a day visiting
with us in Lansing. Marcus with Dad and Tom.

Marianna has traveled across Europe including St. Petersburg and Budepest and she has visited Shenyang, China.

Marianna in China