Last year, I described learning about the importance of traveling to understand with the American Exchange Project in this post. Today, I want to share more lessons I learned as we hosted for the American Exchange Project a second time.
Enjoying Old Favorites
Again we got to take them to some of the spots like the Rangerette Museum, the Oil Museum, and The Back Porch, where we always take visitors. Taking visitors around these old favorites reminds me why I love my town.
For the second time we had a taste of Texas night, where the students got to try samples of local cuisine.
Learning About Our Own Community
However, with this program, I always end up learning about some new parts of our community. For example, we visited the Sabine Coal Mine and learned all about their operations and the steps they take to limit the environmental impact. I had no idea how much work went into producing the electricity we use.
I also attended the Longview Balloon Glow for the first time. I normally do not go because of the heat this time of year. We lucked out because a rainstorm lowered the temperature substantially before we arrived.
Student Groups Are All Unique
My new lesson hosting this year is to accept the differences in group dynamics each year. Last year’s group boldly challenged some of our beliefs. We rarely made it through a presentation without one of the students asking a thought-provoking question. The group this year preferred to ask their questions quietly in a one on one situation. They wanted to enjoy all of the new cultural experiences, and they needed more time to process what they learned, to figure out what questions they wanted to ask. Both groups were equally wonderful. Part of being a good host is to let your guest experience your town on their terms.
Impacts of the Program
The primary purpose of the American Exchange Project is to address the growing divide in this country by allowing students to explore a different region of the country. What impact does the program make one year later? Well, we actually got to find out this past week. We were in Washington D.C. as part of a choir trip and discovered one the young ladies we hosted last year was in town doing an internship. We took the chance to take her out to dinner and catch up with her.
She said the program helped her to interact with people who differing views. Instead of immediately dismissing someone who disagrees with her, she tries to approach them with a sense of curiosity, to try and understand why they believe what they do. She has begun participating in student government and looks forward to seeing what kind of changes she can make in the ways people interact with hot button issues.
Want to get involved?
If you have a student in high school that might be interested in this kind of experience, if you might like to be a host family for your area, or you just want to learn more about the organization, click on the picture below.
Fun memories
Next week I am going to talk about some of the monuments in Washington DC and contemplate what types of monuments God calls us to create. For now, here is a YouTube video of some of the fun memories we made during our time with the AEP students.