Welcome to the Westovers':

Barb, Chuck, and Kati looking back

July 2023

by Carolin Graw

Photos that remind you of a summer movie from the 70s and a close friendship that lasts until today - a few months ago Kati Hamacher contacted us and told us about her host parents, Barb and Chuck Westover from St. Louis. She spoke enthusiastically about her exchange year and the close relationship she still has with her host parents. During the conversation, she suggested that I do an interview with them. I didn't want to pass up the opportunity. Even though we were separated by thousands of miles we were able to talk a few days later - thanks to technology.

Living with roommates, camping, and a different culture

Let’s start at the beginning: In the late 1970s, Kati decided to spend a year abroad with YFU in the USA and was placed with Barb and Chuck Westover in St. Louis, Missouri. A neighbor had told Barb and Chuck about her own experience with an exchange student. Since they had an extra bedroom, they decided to host an exchange student despite their young age. "We chose YFU as our exchange organization and got Kati as our exchange student." They got along very well. Barb reflects: "Maybe it was because we were only ten years apart and living together reminded us more of a shared apartment."

Chuck was a teacher at the local high school and ran the outdoor club. "That's why we often went camping on weekends and holidays." It was a new experience for Kati. Something else was new for her, too: She was having fun at school. So, when Barb asked her after the first few days of school: "Did you have fun?" Kati was very confused because to Kati school had (primarily) been for learning, not to have fun. The fact that the Westovers' house had only one floor and was made entirely of wood, as is common in America, also surprised her at first. Barb tells me, "Kati was always afraid that someone would climb through her window or that the house would suddenly catch fire.” Little cultural differences that did not interfere with a good life together even though, for the Westovers it wasn’t always easy to be strict parents due to the small age difference.

Finnish traditions, eleven hearts, and unforgettable connections

When the year with Kati was over Barb and Chuck took an extended break as a host family. They adopted three children from India and Korea. When they felt they were old enough, they contacted YFU again and hosted a Finnish girl. "It was important for us to expose our children to other cultures with different languages and lifestyles. We celebrated Finnish traditions at home and sang Finnish songs at Christmas caroling.”

After that, they decided to host more exchange students - in total, they gave a second home to eleven host students from Europe and Latin America. "To this day, we are very grateful to have met so many open and interested young people.” Even after the exchange, they remained in contact with many of them. Barb says, "I received flowers for my birthday and Christmas packages with food from all over the world - our children especially enjoyed the latter.”

2002 - A year of turbulence and goodbyes

2002 was a special year for the Westovers and their last year as a host family. "We found ourselves in an extraordinary situation: as an emergency family we were hosting two exchange students at the same time." In addition, Barb found it difficult to devote as much attention to the two students as she had previously because of her own family situation. "Our son visited several times that year." When the Westovers‘ children moved out Barb and Chuck decided to retire and stop hosting. "We felt that we could no longer offer the students what we had when we were younger."

Although they no longer host, they talk to others about their positive experiences and try to motivate families to open up to the idea of exchange - "even our own children are now thinking about becoming host families." According to Barb, it is not a big effort to host an exchange student if you have a spare room." Even with little experience you can become a host family, especially with the support of YFU." The Westovers are the best example.

Connected across borders

Contact with many of their former host children has continued to this day - "especially since we were able to use the internet for this purpose." Sometimes they have even been visited by the parents of their exchange students. "We are happy to see how our host children continue to develop in their home countries after the exchange. We hope we have played a part in that". Barb is very happy about the experiences she had. In a photo album she shows me important moments from the exchanges that she still remembers fondly. At the end of the interview Barb offers me to visit her during my travels in the US. This shows once again how hospitable and open she is. One of Barb's most powerful words that I remember was: "Cultures shape us differently as people, and languages and distances sometimes separate us. But we are all basically the same and it doesn't take much to find a connection.”

Thank you to Barb, Chuck, and Kati for sharing these wonderful stories and anecdotes. You touch hearts!💜

>> We are so grateful for host families like the Westovers and their commitment to our vision. Without people like them YFU would not be possible. Host families open their doors and hearts to young people. They give them a second home, an open ear, and comfort when they are homesick. They look beyond the familiar, question their prejudices, expand their horizons, and find common ground. They give young people a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thank you for being here!