Our Swiss Miss Adventure

In late winter or early spring, Craig and I happily decided to host a 16 year old girl from Switzerland for the summer.  Swiss Miss was to stay with us for eight weeks and in exchange for free room and board, a small weekly stipend, and the opportunity to experience America, she agreed to help care for Emilia for about 30 hours a week.  I explained that our household was busy with two special needs preschoolers who live loudly and sometimes wildly, but made sure she knew that working with Emilia is not difficult because she is sweet and affectionate and grateful for any attention, from going on walks to having someone sing to her.

Unfortunately, after just over two weeks, our Swiss Miss adventure has come to an end.  During her first week here, we made a lot of concessions to Swiss Miss, blaming jetlag and a lack of experience with young children for her behavior, but we soon realized that the real reasons went far beyond what we could ever have anticipated when we invited her for the summer.  I have been in touch with Swiss Miss's mom on an almost daily basis and know that Swiss Miss asked to be allowed to return home nearly as soon as she got here.  This fact alone tells me that the problems we experienced had little, if anything, to do with us, and are long-standing, reaching much deeper than Swiss Miss missing her boyfriend and feeling out of her comfort zone with our children.

Craig and I are saddened by the outcome of this adventure.  I had an amazing experience as a high school exchange student at 16 years old and was so excited to offer a similar opportunity to another young woman. Of course, having lived it, I understand the stressful and overwhelming nature of joining a strange family in an unfamiliar culture, but I also know that in order to make it work, you have to face your fears and jump in, get through those growing pains quickly and open up to what's offered.  Swiss Miss was not able or willing to do so.  She spent almost all hours of every day in her room on the phone or computer with her friends and boyfriend in Switzerland.  Even when she did join us for a meal or an outing or a rare hour of helping me with Emilia, she was constantly hooked to her technology and not truly present with us.  In ten short days, Swiss Miss turned down a visit to downtown Cincinnati, a road trip to Tennessee, and a morning shopping spree.  She did go on a two hour zipline tour with our teen nephew, but did not interact with him there.  We tried very hard to make her feel welcome and comfortable in our family, but we did not succeed.

Still, Craig and I do not regret opening our hearts and home and would take a chance again with another young woman in the future.  We wish Swiss Miss and her family well and appreciate the learning experience they afforded us this summer.