New Lenox Family Hosts Foreign Exchange Student, Gains a Daughter

The day started out like any other summer Sunday for the Walton family, with a trip to the Frankfort Country Market in 2009. Leslie, who teaches music at Hickory Creek Middle School, got busy with one vendor, while her husband, Eric, and daughter, Sarah, wandered away to see what the other booths had to offer.

Looking back, Eric said he approached the Aspect Foundation because he thought he might interest the vendor in a new tabletop display (he's in that industry). However, the foreign exchange student profiles that he saw gave him pause, especially that of then-15-year-old Teresa Hoffmann, of Germany.

"I was so amazed that such a young girl wanted to risk leaving everything behind in another country to take on such a huge endeavor to grow personally, socially and scholastically," Eric said.

Plus, Teresa's personal interests were a perfect fit for their family, as she loved music, horseback riding and playing piano. Eric's mother came to the U.S. from Germany, and his family had a second cousin from Brazil stay with them when he was his daughter Sarah's age.

The stage seemed perfectly set for the Waltons to become a host family for Teresa.

"But this was not something we'd planned at all," said Leslie, adding that it was very unlike Eric to make a major decision so spontaneously.

Waiting for a Family

The Waltons talked with the coordinator staffing the booth. She asked them to go home and think about it and talk some more, but by that evening the family knew they were ready to accept the opportunity to take in Teresa. Within a week, they passed their home-based interview and began emailing Teresa.

"I was waiting and waiting for a family. I finally got the letter, and I was over the moon," said Teresa, now 17. "I'm the youngest at home, and I couldn't wait to be the big sister."

When Teresa arrived that August, the Waltons went to pick her up at the hotel near O'Hare Airport.

"She saw Sarah and just ran up and started hugging her," Leslie said. "It was love at first sight."

Teresa said adapting to life as an American high school student was pretty easy. Wanting to do a little bit of everything, Teresa got involved in student council, choir and the badminton team during her sophomore year at Lincoln-Way Central High School.

The school year passed quickly, but Teresa found she wasn't ready to go home. After requesting special permission to stay an extra month, Teresa finally returned to Munich in July 2010, where she completed her junior year. During her extended summer stay, however, Teresa's family came from Germany and rented a cottage in Michigan, where the two families enjoyed some vacation time together.

'I Knew I'd Come Back'

Proving the old adage true that absence makes the heart grow fonder, the 4,500 miles separating the Waltons from Teresa over the past year didn't seem to matter. They stayed in touch and counted the days until they could visit in person again.

"I saved up for the flights for a really long time. I knew I would come back," Teresa said.

And she did, finishing school and leaving for Frankfort, Ill., this summer. She returned to Germany on Sept. 9 and started her senior year the next day.

Sarah, 10, said her favorite thing about Teresa returning this summer was getting her big sister back and being able to have "sister secrets."

"It was different (at first) because I lived my life playing by myself and having my parents all to myself," Sarah said. "But then Teresa came and I had to share. But I don't want her to go."

Leslie agreed, saying she's loved having the time to just relax and hang out with Teresa, sharing a bowl of popcorn and watching Project Runway or chit chatting until the wee hours of the morning. Leslie, Teresa and Sarah also all , which was another bonding experience drawing them closer.

"I have two families now," Teresa said. "I come back here, and it feels like I never left."