Beginning more than several years ago, as an attempt to ease the feelings associated with becoming empty nesters, Kurt and Peg Hanlin decided to become a host family for foreign exchange students. Now many years, memories, and students later, Kurt and Peg are again hosting two more students from across the globe. To date, the couple has welcomed into their home children from Hungary, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain, Norway, and Taiwan. This year, two beautiful young girls traveling from Germany and Spain arrived in Elgin to begin their stay with the Hanlins as well as a senior year experience at Elgin Public School.
Sitting on their back porch, surrounded by an infinite number of beautiful flowers, I met for the first time the expressive eyes of sixteen-year-old Laia Coromines Domingo from Spain and the beautiful smile of sixteen-year-old Selamawit Tadesse from Germany. I could immediately see how comfortable the girls were in their new surroundings and how happy the Hanlins were to have them there.
