Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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"Our frst student was Italian, and so much fun, that I have a rule that one of our two exchange students must always be from Italy." — AFS volunteer Frank Johnson child, but must have their own bed, and you must also arrange transportation," he says. The program covers airfare and complete health insurance. "We have a support system of 50 AFS volunteers in the Charlotte area, so if you have a problem, there is a liaison." If a family wants to host two students at a time, U.S. State Department regulations stipulate that they cannot speak the same native language, so in Johnson's house that means three languages being spoken, which makes for a lot of cross- cultural exchange. "It's more fun to have two students — and it's easier, so if you want to go out to dinner or the student wants to go to the mall, they're not alone. They have a friend to be with." When it comes to matching families and students, the Currans liken it to dating. They filled out an application, and then Nelson shared some of the 2,500 student applications for Charlotte that arrive every spring. "The students do research on us, and we do research on the students," Wynne Curran says. "But we also discussed it with our children because they had to be on board." Students Embrace America The Currans hoped that it would work out with their children to have another "sibling" in the house, and to their delight, the three bonded. "Manuel and I played a lot of basketball and football and developed rivalries," Cole says. Brenna also warmed to the experience. "I thought it was exciting to have another brother," she notes. For Wynne Curran, the best part about hosting students is their enthusiasm for this country. "I loved how excited Manuel was about everything," she says. "He embraced America. He would comment on all the fast food here and take pictures to send home. Melina recently took a picture of a hamburger at a restaurant because it was so enormous compared to those in Germany." As Tim Curran observes, "Hosting these students gets you out of your American bubble." For Johnson, the most meaningful part is the lasting connection. Two years ago he held a reunion in Vienna with all of the students he has hosted, and he plans another next summer in Rome. "They'll always be part of my family," he says. To learn more about AFS exchange programs, visit www.AFSUSA.org or call Frank Johnson at 704-996-1215 or Carrie Nelson at 704-341-0665. Johnson likes holding reunions of exchange students he's hosted. Frank Johnson (blue shirt) has hosted two exchange students every year since 2006. His son Evan (from left) enjoys a meal with visiting students Axel Gyllfors and Allessio Granero. 72 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE SPRING 2014 Ball Spring 14 - 2.indd 72 2/19/14 6:54 PM