By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
    Betsy Ring's 11-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter were both born in Japan, but the family moved to the United States before her children had a chance to learn anything about the country or the culture. When Ring looked into being a host family with Southern Maine Community College's (SMCC) international student exchange program, and came across Takeshi- a then 20 year old young man from Okinawa- she said she "felt so fortunate" to have found a student from Japan, who liked baseball and being outdoors as much as her family does.
    "I knew as soon as we met him at the airport that we were going to be pretty lucky," Ring said on Tuesday. "He quickly figured out we're pretty zany." Takeshi spent the last year in the Ring home and when he asked if he could stay a little longer, Ring said their response was "please do."
    According to Debra Andrews, Director of SMCC's Center for Global Opportunities, Ring's experience is typical of those families or individuals who open their homes to international students.
    "The families who do it get far more out of the program than they ever imagined," she said.
    SMCC is currently looking for area families to host international students for a semester or for a full academic year. This fall, students from a diverse group of nations including the Netherlands, Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Germany will arrive at SMCC to pursue various areas of study. While they are in Maine, some students will volunteer with area schools, the South Portland Community Center, South Portland Boys and Girls Club and other community oriented programs.
    Andrews, who has been a host mother for four years and most recently for a female student from Ukraine, said she would not discourage any interested families from speaking with her even if they do not live within walking distance of campus. She encouraged families who live near bus stops or who would be willing to provide transportation to contact her and she said many students ride bikes to campus or carpool.
    "My definition of families is very broadminded," Andrews added. She referred to a man in his nineties who hosted a student from Germany for a year.
    Abby Huntoon of South Portland said hosting a student allowed her to "inadvertently mother and have kids around."
    Huntoon became involved with SMCC's program after hosting a high school student from Kosovo. The experience proved to be a positive one and since then she has hosted two female college students, one from Russia and one from South Korea.
    "It's a nice way for me to enjoy someone exploring a new culture and kind of growing into adulthood," she said. "They're mature, but still kind of figuring things out."
     Huntoon recommended that interested families not have certain expectations, but "just be open to who the kid is."
    "You may form an incredible, forever bond and you may not," she said. She recommended that families appreciate the student for who he or she is and do their best to offer a positive experience.
     Looking back on their experiences as students in the program, Andrea Keller of Switzerland and Jaap Berghuijs of the Netherlands both said Andrews made a good match with their respective host families. Keller, who took classes within SMCC's Liberal Studies program, said she emailed back and forth with her South Portland host family before she came to Maine.
     "I was anxious in a positive way," she said on Monday. As it was her first trip to the U.S., she said it took some time to adjust to the family's habits and traditions, but within two weeks she felt completely comfortable.
    Keller said the family was also hosting another student from South Korea at the same time so "they really knew what they were doing." Becoming a member of the family, she said, was a natural process.
    Berghuijs, who also concentrated on Liberal Studies, said his host family had three boys, ages 10, 13 and 15.
    "They're crazy about sports and so am I so that was definitely a good match," he said on Monday.
    He said living with a host family definitely helped his English skills and it also helped him navigate American culture.
     "Its not that we had big lectures every night, (but) if they did something different than we do back home, we would talk about it," he said. "Everyday, I learned something from them." Berghuijs said he also taught the family how to speak some Dutch.
    Berghuijs was heading home within a few days, but he said his host family was already planning a trip to his country next summer. Keller, who will stay in Maine until August, said she was sure she would stay in touch with her host family.
    Ring said Takeshi, who played baseball with her kids nearly everyday, will be a member of their family forever.
    "We are just going to be devastated when he leaves," she said. As he pursues a career in international business, she said the family hopes to have a future reunion.
    Families and individuals interested in being a host family are urged to contact Debra Andrews at 741-5791 or dandrews@smccME.edu.