Last August, 11 students arrived in Lowell to embark on a new adventure. They came from Vietnam, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Thailand and France and enrolled at Lowell High School to study as exchange students.
In the months that followed, they would join sports teams, participate in theater, hone their English skills and explore aspects of American culture ranging from a day at the ballpark to a night around a campfire. The school year is coming to a close, and we caught up with one student to see what his experience was like.
Whirlwind Introduction to Michigan
Anh, 16, hails from Vietnam and decided he wanted to be an exchange student after watching his older sister goes through the experience. His parents agreed, and the company Educatius arranged for him to be enrolled at Lowell High School.
However, there was a slight snag when his original host family placement fell through. A new placement was found on a Friday, Anh arrived on Sunday and school started on Tuesday.
“My brother (hosted a student) three years ago, and he had the best experience ever,” explains Mike DeVore, who hosted Anh this year. What’s more, his son Brady was a senior at Lowell High School, and the timing felt right to have another high schooler in the house.
“The experience has been amazing,” Brady says. “I have learned so much about different cultures.” He adds that it was nice this year to have another person his age at home.
Once Anh arrived, he had a whirlwind introduction to the state as DeVore, who is Lowell’s mayor, took him first to a mayoral exchange day in Middleville and then a trip to Detroit to watch a game. By the end of that first week, DeVore could see that Anh was slowing down, but for Anh, it was a memorable start to the year. “This is the best host family,” he says.
Navigating Cultural Differences
In Vietnam, Anh went to a school that is more than double the size of Lowell High School. He also covered 12-14 subjects per year. When asked how the classes here compare to those in Vietnam, he smiles and says school here is easier, adding that they don’t have life skills classes such as “home essentials” in his home country.
While the classes themselves weren’t as difficult, Anh did find the structure of the LHS day challenging. In Vietnam, classes break for 2-3 hours midday so students can go home for lunch and a nap. With no break here, Anh often found himself running out of steam by the afternoon.
“The way people talk to each other,” was something else that surprised Anh. Describing our speech as fast and loud, there was a learning curve to being able to understand people here.
Overall, though? “I love it so much,” he says when asked about his time in Lowell. Among is favorites memories is the joy of discovering the “marshmallow thing” – meaning s’mores – around a campfire.
Win-Win for Students and Families
The exchange student experience doesn’t just benefit the student. Families often describe a positive experience that creates a lasting connection to the teen they hosted.
“Do it. Don’t think about it,” DeVore advises. He describes the support provided by Educatius as “incredible,” noting that not only does the program provide resources and assistance to families but it also arranges for monthly outings for the students.
“It’s probably the best experience you could get,” Brady adds.
As for Anh, he will be heading to North Dakota to spend the summer with an aunt and uncle before studying in Wisconsin next year. However, he hopes that this won’t be the end of his friendship with DeVore and Brady. Looking at them with a smile, he says, “I love these people so much.”
Educatius currently has five students scheduled to attend Lowell High School for the 2025-26 school year. If you are interested in learning more about being a host family, visit their website or email regional manager Erin Freshour at [email protected].
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