How a Michigan man is transforming lives through student exchange programs

OVID, Michigan – It’s a familiar tune to a 16-year-old Lorenz Laczkovics sitting at a piano playing one of his favorite songs, but the setting? Far from home.

Bob Hoffman

Lorenz is from Vienna, Austria, a city of palaces and concert halls, a far cry from Ovid Michigan.

Lorenz is part of the EF High School Exchange program, a global initiative connecting students to new cultures and experiences.

“I heard about this program from my family and from my sister, because my sister did this program two years before me, and she had a great time and a great experience.”

For Lorenz the experience was full of firsts, starting with her host home, a rural Victorian home owned by Patrick Lombardi, a man with a heart as big as his house.

Bob Hoffman

This is in stark contrast to the busy streets of Vienna which Lorenz is used to it.

“The most different thing is that there is no public transportation here. And yes, I lived in a big city, and I used public transportation to get to school and wherever I go.”

For Patrick, welcoming exchange students like Lorenz it’s not just about opening your home; it’s about opening your mind.

“I think probably the most interesting thing I’ve learned from hosting teenagers is teenage culture. It’s so different from when we grew up, and it’s hard not to pass on my experiences to them and to allow them to be the adolescents they lived in in the world they live in.

And while Patrick’s life may not fit the perfect idea of ​​a host family, Barb Bolitho, coordinator of the exchange program, says that’s exactly the problem.

“50% of host families are not your traditional mom dad and 2.5 kids.”

For Patrick, welcoming exchange students has been transformative.

“The student exchange program took me out of solitary confinement and reintroduced me to the world that exists, to this community, to the school district, and to a whole new group of people that I wouldn’t have not had the chance to know.

Barb says these exchanges aren’t just about visiting a new place; it’s about building bridges between cultures, one open door and one open heart at a time.

In a world that often seems divided, sometimes all it takes is a common roof, a helping hand and an open heart to remind us that deep down, we are more similar than different.

“Patrick is a good neighbor because he teaches me American history,” Lorenz said. He also teaches me the American way of life and what it means to live in America, which is a valuable lesson. And yeah, I think it’s just a good experience.”

Bob Hoffman

We agree and would like to thank Patrick Lombardi and the other host families who are this week’s good neighbors.

If you would like more information about being a host family, visit the EF High School Exchange Program website at www.efexchangeyear.org.

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