


Standing in entrance of the Prague astronomical clock are Eliška Heřmánková, her brother Honza Heřmánek, Klára Kopecká, Kendall Jordan, Barb Jordan, Nicholas Jordan and Megan Jordan for the duration of a July vacation the Toledo household took to visit a former foreign exchange student who attended STC for the duration of the 2019-20 school 12 months. — Contributed photograph
This summer time one particular South Tama relatives received to support carry a overseas exchange student’s working experience complete circle.
Barb and Kendall Jordan participated with the Upcoming Leaders Trade (FLEX) method as a host spouse and children for Eliška Heřmánková in the course of the 2019-20 college calendar year.
Heřmánková is from the Czech Republic and by means of the initially semester and a half at South Tama was suffering from a rather typical foreign exchange expertise.
Days and months have been whole of faculty, more-curricular functions, receiving to know new persons and sharing her lifestyle with individuals in the local community.
Factors took a dramatic switch nevertheless when the COVID-19 pandemic set in in March 2020.
Collected all over the table at a cafe in the Czech Republic are (top rated row) Barb Jordan, Megan Jordan, Eliška Heřmánková, Nicholas Jordan, (base row) Heřmánková’s mother Martina Heřmánková, her father Jan Heřmánek, Klára Kopecká and Kendall Jordan. The Jordans explained a person of their favourite food items things they experimented with even though in the Czech Republic ended up the potato dumplings that often accompanied a meal. — Contributed photograph
Heřmánková was forced to return household 3 months early owing to the world overall health disaster and like most pupils about the region was denied quite a few end of the university 12 months ordeals like prom and a typical graduation ceremony. She also experienced to say a quick goodbye to several pals and classmates she acquired to know perfectly around her 6 months in Iowa.
This summertime the Jordans, joined by their two young children Nicholas and Megan, produced a vacation to the Czech Republic to take a look at Heřmánková and her spouse and children.
For numerous months the Jordans weren’t positive if they’d be able to travel thanks to the ongoing character of the pandemic.
But in June they identified out that the border to the Czech Republic experienced opened along with their window of chance to see Heřmánková, who a yr earlier experienced grow to be like a member of the relatives.
“When we fulfilled Eliška’s relatives this summertime, it was like we have known them for so extensive,” Barb stated. “We had the best tour guides even though we ended up there and experience so grateful we experienced the prospect to go.”
From July 8-18 the Jordans and their host spouse and children spent time traveling all areas of the Czech Republic touring castles, church buildings and having genuine Czech delicacies.
A few of familiar meals items they encountered although overseas have been traditional Czech pastries which includes kolaches and rohlicky. Barb stated the types they sampled have been really superior but had been a bit a lot more dense than the kinds she’s utilized to at household in Tama County.
They claimed lots of of the usual tourist locations like the city of Prague had been fairly tranquil when compared to a normal summer time season.
The journey also furnished an opportunity for Barb to take a look at the homeland of her ancestors. Her great-grandfather Joseph Dostal was born in the region now recognised as the Czech Republic and was a single of a amount of Czech immigrants to settle in Tama County generations in the past.
The journey was the initially time the Jordans had traveled to Europe and they explained they hope to return all over again someday to take a look at their intercontinental spouse and children.
As for Heřmánková, she graduated from her significant faculty in the Czech Republic this previous spring and is set to commence university in the town of Brno in which she will research law.
- Standing in entrance of the Prague astronomical clock are Eliška Heřmánková, her brother Honza Heřmánek, Klára Kopecká, Kendall Jordan, Barb Jordan, Nicholas Jordan and Megan Jordan for the duration of a July journey the Toledo relatives took to go to a former overseas exchange college student who attended STC through the 2019-20 college yr. — Contributed image
- Gathered about the desk at a cafe in the Czech Republic are (major row) Barb Jordan, Megan Jordan, Eliška Heřmánková, Nicholas Jordan, (base row) Heřmánková’s mom Martina Heřmánková, her father Jan Heřmánek, Klára Kopecká and Kendall Jordan. The Jordans claimed a single of their favourite foods merchandise they tried when in the Czech Republic were being the potato dumplings that often accompanied a food. — Contributed photograph