To stay or go? Italian exchange student’s study abroad experience will not end early due to coronavirus

Yuma family will continue hosting Italian student until 10-month exchange program finishes

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Now more than ever, we’re seeing the world is a much smaller place than we think.

The Aspect Foundation has brought the world closer together through its foreign exchange program.

Students from around the world arrived in Yuma last July as part of a 10-month foreign exchange program, not expecting a global pandemic to interrupt their American experience.

They’re not letting the coronavirus stop them.

We met Charity Damron last summer while she was getting ready to host her first exchange student from Italy.

Over the past eight months, Chiara Militello has become a part of the Damron family.

“We’ve added to our family, we have a daughter for life now,” said Charity.

The 17- year old Italian was attending Kofa High School when her second semester was cut short.

The coronavirus forever changed her American experience.

Chiara said, “There was a prom, a thing I will never experience again because it's just an American thing. Graduation, walking the line. That's something we wanted so much.”

The family had plans to explore America beyond Yuma with trips scheduled to New York, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Disney Land.

Just as quickly as things escalated here in the U.S., back home in Italy, the virus had already taken a hold of the country.

“What if something happened? What if I have to go back because someone gets sick or anything,” asked Chiara.

All valid questions, as the program maneuvers through unchartered waters.

Kellie Payne, the community director of Aspect Foundation, said, “It’s been a collaboration between the organization, the student, the natural parent, and the host family as to what's best for each individual situation.”

They came to the decision that it would be more of a risk for Chiara to travel home where her family has been in quarantine for two months

“I see the quarantine developing like it did in Italy. It’s like seeing it twice. It’s not easy. But it’s making Italy much closer than it was before,” Chiara explained.

If quarantine has shown us anything, it's that sometimes its the unexpected that bonds us.

Charity said, “These three weeks that we have been home, we’ve been able to have so many conversations that we wouldn’t have had because I would’ve been working. She would’ve been going to school. We just have so much more time with each other that we wouldn't have had.”

Chiara added, “I think this made us closer for sure.”

Chiara will stay in Yuma until the end of May as planned, then return to Italy where she’ll self-quarantine away from her family for two weeks.

Hopefully, once coronavirus settles down, Charity looks forward to hosting two exchange students this fall.