HORTONVILLE (NBC 26) — Eliah "Eli" Zisterer and Luciano Pineda are students at Hortonville High School. But they aren't from Wisconsin. Far from it, in fact.
Zisterer is from Germany and Pineda is from Mexico, but they are connected under one roof in a faraway state because of the Council on International Educational Exchange, or CIEE.
Heather Haapapuro works with CIEE as a coordinator.
She said that in the calendar year of 2023, the program has already placed 33 students throughout the Fox Cities.
Of those 33, she is hosting one: Zisterer. Her connection to him is additionally special because she'd hosted his brother 5 years ago. She said that it's an experience she was eager to repeat, because she knew it would mean welcoming new opportunities to spread happiness.
"It's just another plate at our table, but the joy that it brings our family, the things that we get to do because he's here, and the things that we get to experience is so much fun," Haapapuro said. "I can also say that our dinner variety is so much better."
"She's a good cook!" agreed Zisterer.
Pineda is hosted by another family in Hortonville, but Haapapuro serves as his coordinator. He said the program is one he'd highly recommend to others.
"This experience is like amazing because... I think you start feeling like America is your hometown," Pineda said.
The students who are placed with American families as part of the program go through a rigorous vetting process that includes submitting an English proficiency test to show that they're fluent, having a qualifying GPA, coming with letters of recommendation from teachers in their home countries, and interviewing with the U.S. government for J-1 (Exchange Visitor) visas.
If the students weren't fluent before the experience, they certainly are by the time their visit is over.
"Since like the third month I was here, you get so comfortable with it you even like dream in English," Zisterer said. He said that the adjustment back into his first language was also a surprising challenge after speaking, thinking and dreaming in English for months.
Haapapuro is a big proponent of the program. She has hosted 12 students since 2017.
She hosted a family from the Czech Republic in her first year because it was a chance to learn about her heritage. She said she didn’t know much about the country's culture before welcoming a native resident into her life.
The success of that decision, Haapapuro said, is evidence of how rewarding the program can be for hosts as well as students. Cultural knowledge of all participants will grow, along with the size of forever families.
"Having a child for ten months — that forevermore is going to be your child," Haapapuro said.
Many of the families and students stay in contact for the rest of their lives.
Pineda and Zisterer said their favorite thing about being in Wisconsin so far is the community of people.
"Yeah, I would say the people are really kind," Zisterer said.
The program is volunteer-based, so all costs incurred are paid by the students and their host families. Students pay for their own travel and entertainment expenses, while families will help with commutes and meals.
"Our first year of hosting we thought that it was going to be really expensive to host an international student, because you always hear about — specifically — how much teenagers eat," Haapapuro said. "We just have no more leftovers."
Celebrations like Halloween and Christmas are American firsts for some of these students. Sports, picnics, and other things common in Wisconsin may not be common back home.
"I think it’s really important for your life to spend that long time in a different country," Zisterer said.
Among their favorite Wisconsin staples, Zisterer and Pineda named Kwik Trip and the sports teams in the state.
"Actually, it was a coincidence, because I always liked [the] Packers," Pineda said, of his favorite NFL team.
Currently, the Fox Cities are hosting students from Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Norway, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Those students are attending schools across Wisconsin, from Peshtigo to West Bend.
In addition to hosting students in the states, CIEE will help students with outgoing goals.
Anyone interested in becoming involved in hosting international students, or any student who may be interested in studying abroad, is encouraged to visit the organization's website to apply.
As of the time this article was written, CIEE has 232 students that they are looking to match to their future host families.
