Rotary Club makes German exchange student feel at home

Laila Adler came to Holmes County a naïve teenager from Germany who knew little English and even less about the area she would be a part of for one year. She is leaving a seasoned veteran who slips easily into the English language, having experienced more of the nation than many people here ever do.

The Millersburg Rotary International hosts an exchange student every other year, splitting the task between West Holmes School District and East Holmes School District.

This year it was West Holmes’ turn, and they welcomed Adler with open arms.

A pair of families agreed to serve as host families: T.J. and Marianne Mader of Millersburg and Kevin and Kelly Grassbaugh of Glenmont.

Adler came to America with anticipation but a great deal of trepidation. She said she cried plenty when it was time to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as she stepped out into a strange, new world.

She remembers Aug. 17 well, when she set out at 5 a.m. to go to Frankfurt, Germany to fly out. She said she was extremely nervous and remembers not being able to eat.

“I was super nervous,” Adler said. “When I first started, my English was so bad. I handled everything really well until I got to my flight gate. Then I just stopped and started crying really bad. I thought to myself, ‘What are you doing here? Why are you doing this?’ Here I was, going halfway around the world, alone on the other side of the world without my parents, barely able to speak English. It was the most spontaneous thing I have ever done. I am happy that I no longer feel that way.”

A complete stranger sat beside her and helped her through the flight and to catch her connecting flight.

Upon arriving at the Grassbaugh home, she said the first thing she noticed that really helped her feel more comfortable was kind of an odd thing to recognize.

“There was no smell,” Adler said. “Every house has a smell when you don’t live there. Every house has a special smell because it is different, and that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s just different. When I entered, I was super happy that it had no smell because my own home doesn’t have a smell because I live there. And their home didn’t have a smell either, so it made me more comfortable and relaxed.”

However, once she settled into the home of the Grassbaughs and then the Maders and become accustomed to West Holmes High School, she began to feel much more at peace with her decision.

“Your host family is not your real family, and it takes time to get to know them, but they made it super easy to feel welcomed,” Adler said. “But it didn’t take long to where I felt really comfortable. Now they are like a new family. I can honestly say that now I have a part of my family living here.”

Adler quickly hit it off with West Holmes students Sage Miller and twins Maci and Monica Nally. They became fast friends, and Adler said they made her stay even more enjoyable.

Before she left, she had a bonfire with Miller and a day later said goodbye to the twins before heading to the West Coast as part of her final experience in the United States.

“It was so hard to say goodbye,” Adler said. “We cried because it was so difficult, and I am not good at saying goodbye. I always just say ‘see you again’ and then turn around and go before I start to cry again. You can get so close to someone in such a short period of time. But I think it is much better to leave when it is hard than to be happy that it is over. That means that your experience was good and that it meant something special. So I am happy that I am sad to leave. That meant that I had a super-great time here.”

Adler said her time here flew, thinking back to her first two months and how she marveled at how quickly those passed. She then said the last eight months were a blink of an eye as she took in as much of this country as possible, including horse and buggies, national monuments and more.

Early on she was taken on a trip to New York and Lake Erie. She loved life in the big city that never sleeps, taking in the energy of New York. She got to experience plenty of snow, something of which they don’t have much in Germany.

She went to a high school football game, which she said she still doesn’t exactly understand but loved the school spirit. She experienced the thrill of wearing cowboy boots, something she thought was only worn in western movies.

“I felt so cool with my Ohio hoodie, my Amish kettle corn and my cowboy boots,” Adler said with a laugh. “I felt really American.”

She went to West Holmes' homecoming, where she felt a pang of homesickness; experienced an American Christmas; and went to the Knights’ prom. A trip to the zoo allowed her to see her favorite animal, the manatee, in person.

Her older brother flew in from his work to visit her this past fall, bringing a slice of home to Holmes County for Adler.

Adler said her favorite trip was the Washington, D.C. trip, where she enjoyed the historical aspect and being with other Rotary exchange students.

It all added up to a terrific experience for Adler.

“My two host families were very different, but both were amazing,” Adler said.

The families also grew quite attached to the young teenage visitor that became part of their family.

“It’s been a really great experience for all of us,” Marianne Mader said of hosting. “We learned about a whole new culture without even leaving the house. She is such a sweet girl. It was really easy; she made hosting a real joy.”

The Maders, who have two sons, have never had a daughter living in their home. For several months Adler became that daughter they never had, and they said they enjoyed the experience immensely.

“It was a nice experience for our whole family, and I recommend it,” Mader said.

Adler said her fears in the beginning seem like a million miles away now.

“This whole year was an amazing experience, and I am sure I wouldn’t be the same person if I wouldn’t have done this,” Adler said. “I feel like I grew so much through the experience. I would recommend it for anyone who is thinking about doing it.”

She said she also built a bond of friendship with the Rotary Club members, attending each of their weekly meetings, giving them updates on her trips and tours of the United States in which she connected with other Rotary exchange students from many other areas of the world.