Host Family News - from Susan Rollings

Tue 28 Nov 2006

Hello there. My name is Susan Rollings. I am currently a host mum to a boy, Oliver, from Germany and wanted to share some experiences of hosting a student from another country.

I am a single mum. Yes, you read correctly - a single mum with four children. Well, five now (laughing out loud) because Oliver has joined the family. I don't work so you see student exchange isn't just for working people. It's for anyone willing to open there heart and home so a child can experience the beauty of our country.

What a privilege it has been to host Oliver. We have been hosting now for five months. Oliver is with us for 11 months and we love him. He fits in so well with our family. I have three daughters - Jessica 15, Chloe 14, Karsha 13 - and a son - Nathan, 12. And now Oliver 17! Yes, you're probably all saying you're a mad women having four teenagers in the house and one pre teen but hosting Oliver has been the best thing we ever did. He is a great kid and we love having him around and part of our family. He is a big brother for Nathan and it has been so good for us.

During Oliver's first five months here he has already experienced so much. We live in Beautiful Brisbane in the best state in Australia, so we all think! Oliver has been on many adventures. He has been to the famous Australian Zoo and Surfers Paradise. We're off to Wet 'n Wild theme park next weekend and we have planned a camping holiday travelling from Brisbane to Sydney then Melbourne and back again - over 4000kms - next Easter.

If anyone is considering hosting just know that we highly recommend it. It has been one of the best experiences of our lives and we will do it again sometime in the near future. Learning about Oliver and his family and culture and his language has been really amazing.

We can even speak a little German now!

Take care

Sue, Jessica, Chloe, Karsha, Nathan and Oliver