Imagine, if you can, leaving home for the first time to go to another country where everything is new and everyone is a stranger.

That is what foreign exchange students face each semester or year they participate in an exchange. They leave not just their friends, family and home, but their country, culture, and security.

When an exchange student comes to Kimball, they may be seeing a rural area for the first time, may experience a lack of their religion, different legalities, fewer people, a change in recreation, and a home where nothing seems familiar, right down to bedding.

This kind of change can be disorienting, but here to help is Kim Baliman, area representative for Students Travel Schools (STS), a student exchange organization based in Scottsdale Ariz.

This is Baliman’s seventh year representing students, matching them with families, and administering for the exchange program, the STS Foundation.

Currently there are three students in Kimball from all over the world,  Anita von Maat from Switzerland, Caitlin Snell from the Netherlands and Linus Andersson of Sweden. The only given commonality is that the students have a good command of the English language.

“We talk slower in our English class than they do here,” von Maat says, “And they teach us British English, it is a little different.”

Von Maat recalls the first day of school as the most challenging for her, and remembering the names of all the new people she has met. To stay busy she is a trackster and participates in the one act plays as well.

The biggest challenge for student Caitlin Snel, from the Netherlands, is missing her family and friends. Snel said it took her about a month to overcome the worst of that. She and von Maat both mention clubbing as one thing they really miss as well.

As for missing their families and friends, Baliman says it helps to keep them busy and active in their new environments.

Snel participates in choir, show choir, one act plays, and speech. She also sang in the Night of Music, put on by the Kimball Theater Group.

Linus Andersson  stays busy playing football, participating in track and he was voted prom king this year. Andersson says he must enroll in sports outside of school in Sweden since it is not offered in school. Snel adds that in most of Europe it is that way.

Baliman welcomes the students she has placed with area families in true mid-west fashion and provides an introduction to the host family the way few others could.

Kimball is not the only area town to receive Baliman’s energy and enthusiasm, she also places students in Banner County, Potter/Dix, and even Morrill and Mitchell.

When a family chooses to host a student they have some choices to make. They can see a student’s profile on the STS website and make the choice to host a male or female; the choice can be based on country of origin, talents and interests, and many other options.

Prospective families can read an essay written by the students, and then it is up to Baliman to place those students and ensure a good fit for all.

These students follow a code of conduct, maintain good grades and participate in extra-curricular activities, including non-school activities like 4-H.

They are required to take an English class and an American History class during their term in the United States. They cannot, however, get a job or a driver’s license since they are not US citizens.

“They just send me the best of the best, I feel,” Baliman says.

Host families often agree and many host students repeatedly, according to Baliman. In fact, Baliman says hosting a student often leads to life-long friendships.

Baliman would know, her family has hosted students, and her daughter Mollie is very close friends with one student in particular. In fact, Baliman said, she believes the two will be in each others weddings, when the time comes.

Ed Montgomery and his wife Carolyn, both teachers at Kimball High School, seem to agree. They have hosted five students. Ed adds he and his wife just visited their first student in Italy over Christmas vacation.

Ed says all of their students have had such different interests, from music or acting to sports. He says he enjoys hosting students for the simple reason that doing so gives them the opportunity to experience the United States.

Different terms are available to students. Full year terms begin in August and end in May and semester terms are January through May.

However, there are students from Australia and New Zealand that may arrive in January and stay through December as well.

In Baliman’s experience, it is best not to come for the shorter semester term, as so much time is taken up acclimating and meeting friends, then it is time to leave again.

Each if these students will be going home shortly after graduation this year. Megan Anderson, host sister to von Maat will accompany her back to Switzerland for a visit. Snel and Andersson will accompany their parents, who are coming here for graduation, back home.

“The key to a successful match is open communication,” Baliman says.

Baliman strongly urges interested families to check out the website, apply on-line, and submit a background check. Once those steps are taken Baliman does a home inspection, which she says is no big deal, and she pairs a family with a student.

“It is for our schools, our community and the kids,” Baliman adds, “I encourage people to check it out, visit the website (www.stsfoundation.org), and open their homes and their hearts because you usually end up friends for life.”