We, the Machua family from Beaverton, Oregon, hosted Ella from China for two years, and she became a daughter and sister to us. We now consider Ella as part of our family, her pictures are on our fridge and in our living room, and we communicate with her regularly via email. We feel lucky that she will be coming back to attend University only three hours away from us for the next four years and we can hop on a train or drive down to see her and vice-versa! All of our friends and family really got attached to Ella, welcomed her and she became a big part of our circle. She was awesome and as a parent, I feel so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to bond, share, and become a part of Ella’s life. She and my daughter Makayla became true sisters, playing, joking, bickering and all! I believe this experience was great for Makayla who welcomed Ella when she was eight and hugged Ella bye when she was 10. It’s a life changing experience for Makayla. Thank you Happy Homestay for an amazing experience, the great and patient coordinators that you hire and train throughly, and for being the support and life-line of the host parents during the international student exchange experience. Job well done!
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