The Farrington family pose for a photo at Wawasee’s tennis courts. From left are Janet Farrington, Winston Farrington, Felix Rier and Darrell Farrington. Janet Farrington is from Australia and Rier is from Italy. Photo by Nathan Pace.

By Nathan Pace
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Janet Farrington and her family was not sure how hosting a foreign exchange student for the first time would go in 2024. The indecision is a distant memory because fast forward to 2025 when the Farmington’s found hosting another exchange student to be an easy decision.

“I was approached last year that there is a great need for host families,” Farrington said. “There are a lot of students still trying to get here and I just finished the spare room and I was like, ‘You know what, I can put a kid in there. Why not?’ Family was a little hesitant but it turned out to be wonderful.”

Hosting an exchange student was seen as a blessing as opposed to a burden for Farrington given her background. She was born in Australia but her parents are from the Czech Republic.

“International is my name,” Farrington said.

Her parents and older brother escaped the Soviet Union in 1970 when her dad forged documents to get the family on a plane.

“My dad couldn’t handle communism and the repression. He devised an elaborate plan. He forged documents and sold off what he could and pretended to go off on a vacation and escaped to the former Yugoslavia. From there, he sought asylum in Australia. He, my mom and my brother boarded a plane and I was later born in Australia,” Farrington said.

Once the Soviet Union collapsed, her parents would eventually move back to the Czech Republic.

In Australia, Farrington became a professional photographer and had a chance to work at a summer camp in the local area. When her friend told her about a chance to spend a weekend on the lake in Warsaw she went and met Darrell, her future husband. For the couple, the courtship progressed quickly.

“I never planned to leave Australia. It was difficult but Darrell was like ‘Lets just try it.’ Three months later, because of the visa and stuff he said ‘Lets get married.’ So 22 years later, here we are,” Farrington said.

Once Kosciusko County became her home, she worked with people with disabilities for Cardinal Services in Warsaw. She earned a teaching degree and switched to working with special needs students at Wawasee Middle School. Today, she teaches family and consumer science at Whitko Career Academy.

Through international agencies, such as Cultural Homestay International, she had the chance to host an exchange student in 2024. She wanted a student who shared a passion for tennis with her son, Winston. The family hosted Pablo Mor Chocos from Spain and he helped guided Wawasee to a record year in tennis.

“For my son, having someone else there was really rewarding,” Farrington said. “It was great for my husband as well. Having someone else to talk to in the house. We really enjoyed it. We learned a lot from him. His whole family came to visit us in the summer time. We plan to go visit them in Spain next summer.”

The Farrington’s are hosting another exchange student, who plays tennis this year — Felix Rier. Rier is from northern Italy but actually speaks German as his primary language. Rier joined the Wawasee tennis team and immediately became the most experienced player on the team. He holds down the No. 1 single’s position for the Warriors.

The Farrington’s have a Wawasee alumna, daughter Kiah Farrington, who played collegiate tennis for Purdue University Northwest.

Farrington’s plan is to continue hosting an exchange student and maintain the relationships they have built with each of them.

“We feel like we have connected two families so now we have an extended family,” Farrington said.