“I think meeting Paige and Jeremy was one of the best parts of my stay in Topeka. Although we only had one short semester together I really felt that they cared about me. They comforted me when I felt homesick and encouraged me when school was difficult. Although I was so far from home and alone in a foreign country, I felt safe with them. Some things I got to experience were kayaking, learning how to make pumpkin pie, carving pumpkins for Halloween and spending Thanksgiving holiday in their home. By the end of the semester they felt more like family than friends. I will never forget my experiences with my friendship family!”

“In 2012 Jenifer & I were the friendship family for 2 students from China. It was an exciting year learning about China, their culture, customs and even adding parts of it to our family. In 2013 I joined the TFN Planning Committee to find better ways to help students and serve in my community. We have now hosted students from China, Austria, Japan, Germany, Finland and developed friendships with students from all around the world. Our knowledge of the world has grown and the friendships have added so much to our lives we look forward to every new semester at Washburn.”