International Education

I have loved traveling for as long as I can remember.  I love the excitement of doing something different.  My heart really fell in love with traveling when I went to France during my freshman year of college.  I just firmly believe that you learn things about yourself and about other people when you leave the comfort of your own home and get out there. 

I have hopes that Logan will love to travel, as well.  So far, he's been a great traveler - we took him on his first road trip when he was six months old.  I wish that we could travel internationally all of the time.  For obvious reasons, we cannot.  So, we like to do the next best thing...opening our home to international guests. 

Summer 2014, we were able to be involved with students visiting from Morocco. They loved Logan and Logan loved them.  I still talk to some of those kids via social media. 

Last winter, we had a doctor from Malaysia as our house guest.  We remain in touch with her even now!  

A few months ago, we started hosting students who are in the U.S. to study English.  It's been a great opportunity for us!  We currently have two young men from Saudi Arabia living with us.  They have become part of our family. 

We enjoy learning about their religion and their culture.  And teaching them about ours.  Most of all, I love exposing Logan to people who are not the same as we are. He asks me questions like "do they believe in the same God that we do?"  All without any prompting.  

The boys are great with Logan.  He loves having them around to play video games with and wrestle.  They keep our house very lively! 

Tonight, we have two guests from China arriving.  So, if you're keeping track, I have to find food that Saudi Arabians AND Chinese will like ;) They are staying for two weeks. 

More than anything, I hope that these experiences help shape Logan and give him a greater view of the world.  Right from our home. As an American, I feel very honored to live in the country that we do.  I am happy (for now) to be able to raise a family here.  However, I also feel like as Americans, we sometimes forget that we do not have the perfect system for anything, and as people, we are no better than anyone else.  This is what I want to teach my son.