Article Contributed on: 12/13/2007 10:59:29 PM
We've made friends with young people from around the world by hosting them while they are here in Denver in the Up with People (UWP) program (check out upwithpeople.org to learn more).
Over the last several years we have hosted
Coco and
Steff from Germany,
Yuri Y. and
Yuri T. from Japan,
Rebecca from Switzerland,
Wouter from The Netherlands,
Jennifer from Michigan and
Gabe from Tucson.
We always look forward to the arrival of our new UWP friends, and we get to meet new ones this Jan. 11.
Some of the highlights have been:
• Rebecca making us Sopf!-Swiss bread-always pronounced with an explanation point it seems!
• Having a visit from Steff's mom from Germany and then seeing them again when we went to France.
• Yuri T. making sushi.
• Gabe helping us host a Salsa dance party with his expert instruction.
• Wouter and Yuri Y. sledding and making a snowman with us.
• Watching all of them perform in their shows!
These memories are just the tip of the iceberg of the fun we have had being a host family. And you can do it too! A new group of "kids" (young adults age 17 to 29) will arrive Jan. 11 needing a place to stay, evening meals and local transportation.
We are lucky here in Denver because this is the headquarters of UWP where program participants go through orientation. This means we get to have our extra family members for four weeks-longer than any other city.
Even after a month I am always sad when they leave. Try it! Contact
Jessica Trabertjtrabert@upwithpeople.org, or call 303-460-7100 Ext. 128.