Educational and cross-cultural exchange programs have been an effective way for both the host and international student to learn about each other’s families and respective countries for decades. And in Leelanau County, it’s been a great opportunity for area-families like Andrew Pleva and his husband, Dustin, to experience what hosting international youth is like and the bonds made through those exchanges.
Pleva grew up in the Maple City area, moving to Leelanau County when he was eightyears- old. A Glen Lake Area Community School alumnus, he now works as a controller at Shoreline Fruit.
Pleva said he first came across an advertisement in the Enterprise for the international student exchange program in 2022. The program, which was through the American Scandinavian Student Exchange (ASSE), was searching for host families, something Pleva and his partner were interested in as they were recently married and looking to have kids of their own in the future as well.
While Pleva said they were not planning on starting the program right away, he said the more they learned about it, the more it seemed like something they could actually do.
“So we at least moved forward with the application process in hopes of maybe just being a temporary family for like a month for a student, but then once we started the whole process, we realized we might as well just do it for the whole year,” Pleva said. “It definitely opened up the doors to a cultural experience that was really amazing. It’s very cool to have worldly ties to somebody in another country… It was really eye opening and it was really nice to be able to open up our home to someone, especially being a younger couple and not having kids, it just kind of goes to show that anybody can kind of do it.”
From September 2022 to June 2023, Pleva and his partner hosted their first exchange student, Sacha, from France. Sacha was able to attend Glen Lake Community School for his junior year and took just as much away from his time living in the county. Pleva said students like Sacha gain so much through the educational and cultural exchange, and are oftentimes trying to improve their English skills to help with future personal and work endeavors.
“That was one of the biggest reasons our student came here is because he really wanted to hone in on his English abilities,” he said. “They definitely provided opportunities to him when he got back, and he’s currently in his senior year applying to colleges. He’s making note that he was abroad for a year and he got to experience that, so from a student side, I think there are benefits like that, and they make connections here. I know he has a few friends that he still talks to that are here, too.”
In the exchange program, students are hosted for nine months of the school year, so both parties have a decent amount of time to get to know each other. Some hosts and students continue to stay in touch after the program ends, forming lasting connections and friendships that extend across continents.
“We actually went to France last February and we stayed with his family,” he said. “And then they came here last August for three weeks, so it’s just crazy how big of a bond that came from it (the program)... I feel like we have a French family now that we can talk to at any time.”
Pleva said he’s set to host his second exchange student, Sacha’s younger sister, in August, so although they already have met, it will be another cultural learning experience with a new person.
“We’re very excited, we had the opportunity to meet her when we went there (France) and she also came here when their whole family came to visit, so it’s kind of nice to know her a little bit more,” he said.
Pleva said just gaining the awareness of people in other places and different cultures was a big takeaway from his time hosting.
“I’ve never been to Europe before that (trip) nor thought to have consideration for what is going on sometimes over there or anything like that,” he said. “Now I still talk to our exchange student messaging every now and then and get to hear what’s going on in France, so it’s pretty cool to have that… I think that it’s such an amazing opportunity on both ends. We hope to continue doing this especially when we do have kids, that way they can have those connections abroad as well.”
For more information about American Scandinavian Student Exchange host opportunities, people can email Pleva at [email protected] or go to asse.com.
