FAMILY IN CHAFFEE WELCOMES YOUNG RUSSIAN INTO THEIR HOME

CHAFFEE -- Aaron and Paula Horrell didn't know much about Russia when they agreed to sponsor a Russian exchange student, but they wanted their children to learn about other cultures.

"I wanted to show my children that the world extends beyond the borders of the United States," Aaron Horrell said. "I figured it would be good for them to have international connections in the future."

Sveta Mandrykena, 12, of Moscow, arrived at the Horrells' home a week ago, and she's already made friends for a lifetime, she said.

"Everyone is very nice," said Sveta. "I came to Chaffee because I wanted very badly to come to America. I love it here."

Sveta has spent the past week working on the farm with the rest of the Horrell children: Vince, 13, Toni, 10, Annette, 9, and Levi, 7. She feeds the cows, rides the tractor and even bales hay.

Although she has had only two years of English in school and none of the Horrells speak Russian, they communicate with the use of hand signals and a Russian-English dictionary. In addition, she is trying to teach the Horrell children some Russian words.

"It's kind of hard to talk to each other, but we have a lot of fun playing together," said Toni.

Sveta is also learning a lot about American culture and American food. She loves most of the food, especially ice cream, but it's a little too hot for her here.

"One of the first words she learned here was hot," said Aaron Horrell. "She's so used to it being very cold in Moscow."

Horrell believes Sveta's visit has had a positive effect on his children. Even Levi wants to be an exchange student. He wants to visit India or Australia.

Sveta is too young to attend the exchange program that allows her to go to an American school, but she is learning while she is here. She spends her free time going through old math books and reading anything printed in English.

Even though she will only be away from home four weeks, she already misses her family.

"I take that as a sign that she is a good kid," Aaron Horrell said. "Her parents have to be brave to send their 12-year-old daughter to another country. They must trust her very much."

The Horrells have sponsored two older exchange students from France through the International Student Exchange of Iowa. They decided to try someone closer to the age of their children for the summer.

Sveta might return to the United States as an exchange student when she is 15, which is the age she would be allowed to attend school here.