Fabian Stuermer-Heiber, Teresa Martinez, and Oskar Roenn, all high school students participating on a year-long exchange with Youth For Understanding, are about to leave West Windsor and return to their families of origin.
“Thanks to our wonderful WW-P resident host families, these kids are gaining wonderful opportunities to bond with local friends and families,” says Chhaya Somani, an area representative for the program.
The Somani family of Plainsboro hosted Oskar Roenn from Denmark. “Nine months ago when we went to Newark airport to pick up Oskar, we were bringing a complete stranger to our home, we were skeptical about whether we were going to like each other, or what we were going to feed him since we are vegetarian,” she says. “Little did we know that in a short period of time Oskar would assimilate into our family just like an additional family member. While Oskar and our son have been weaving a lifelong friendship, we also got an extended family in Denmark. As the time comes closer to send Oskar back to his family, we feel sad but we know for sure that we will never say good bye as we know that we will always be connected with him and his family.
Somani was born and raised in India by her mother, a housewife, and her father, a government officer. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Somani came to the United States in 1986 where she received her master’s degree in computer and information science from NJIT in Newark. She is an IT professional at Johnson & Johnson.
Her husband, Kailash Somani, is also an IT professional. Their sons are Abhinav, 20, a student in his last year at NYU/Stern majoring in international business, finance, and management; and Arpan, a junior at High School North and incoming school president for the student council. Both sons enjoy music and play piano, guitar, saxophone, drums, and tabla (an Indian percussion instrument). The family moved to West Windsor three years ago.
“Abhinav went to Spain a few years ago and his hosting family was really wonderful,” says Chhaya Somani. “I always wanted to give back what my son received. This program was also of interest to me as it gave us an opportunity as a family to expand our wings, learn, and share.”
Laura and Frank Wong of West Windsor hosted Fabian from Germany. “It is not rare to see an American family walking around with an Asian girl,” says Laura Wong. “But an Asian family with a European boy, it is very rare. In two months, when we send him back, standing at the same spot in airport where we picked him up eight months ago, we will be forever changed. To him, he will bring back with him one full school year of an exciting American experience. To us, hosting him will make us permanently aware of the true existence of Germany, its well-disciplined people, the beautiful architecture, and tasty sausages. If we were asked to redo this whole thing, we would pick the same kid, host him the same way, except that, maybe, we could try to love him a little less so that the separation would not be too hard.”
Heena and Deepak Kothary of Plainsboro are hosting Teresa from Mexico. “Our experience with YFU started with an interest from one of our nieces, she had traveled to Japan and Finland with YFU in ninth and tenth grade. It made us curious,” says Heena Kothary. “Teresa arrived from Mexico in the summer of 2008. We have greatly been enjoying her company and learning from her about her home life, family, culture, and background. One of the great things is along the way we have met many new people, made many new friends, and have gained a lot of inside knowledge and culture about the exchange students. Our children, Yashna and Keval, have enjoyed the experience of having an older host sister and learning some Spanish whenever they can.”
“Hosting Oskar gave us an exposure to Denmark, we definitely know much more about this beautiful country now,” says Chhaya Somani. “Additionally the bonding which Oskar and my younger son have made will be forever. Oskar got a fusion cultural experience living with us as he experienced American as well as Indian. Oskar also taught us to be flexible and not afraid of trying new things. Hosting an international student does come with challenges and it teaches you the value of open communication, understanding, giving, and caring for each other.”
Based on the success of these current exchange students, Youth For Understanding (www.yfu-usa.org) is looking for host families in the WW-P community for fall exchange student placements. For information about hosting a YFU student, sending your child abroad as an exchange student, or becoming a mentor, contact Chhaya Somani at chhayasomani@hotmail.com or 848-248-6954.
