Alabama, USA
If someone had told me, that I would end up spending a year in Birmingham living and working with such a big family, having summer weather in winter and spendig part of my week in a children ฬs learning facility, I probably would have laughed. Yet here I am, right in the heart of the beautiful state of Alabama! So let me properly introduce myself in the best southern way: Hey y ฬall! My name is Melinda and I am an Apex Care Professional and Occupational therapist from Germany.
In September 2025, I came to the USA for the first time and was quite anxious as I walked out of the airport. However, this anxiety vanished immediately thanks to the warm and loving welcome from my host family. Their home became more than a place to stay. It became a space of learning, wholehearted support and genuine cultural exchange. Sit back, while I introduce to you every family member of the Pringle squad!
Ellen is the youngest and she brings an energy into the house that feels like whirlwind. Her loyalty to her friends is remarkable for her age and she is the first one to be there when they call her. Sheโs a talented soccer player, plays clarinet in the school band and has a huge love for anything cute. Her joy is contagious and she adds lots of fun to the family that makes no day boring. I was really touched by her making me a whole scarf for christmas. She was inspired by me crocheting so many things and I still can ฬt believe she made her first ever crochet piece working so hard on that all by herself.
Betsy, the oldest of the siblings, is one of the most intellectually impressive people I have ever seen. She reads more than anyone I know, absorbing information with a curiosity that seems endless. Her intelligence shows up not only in academics but also in her extraordinary talent for speech. She wrote a personal speech that was so powerful and inspiring that stayed with me for a long time. Living with muscular dystrophy and using a wheelchair, she approaches life with strength, humor, and determination. She plays power soccer passionetely and she is preparing to go to college soon- a milestone she has earned through hard work.
William is incredibly athletic and a very disciplined young man. Whether heโs running track, playing basketball or working toward a personal goal, he approaches everything with focus and determination. He is also exceptionally smart, especially in math and science, to the point where he once looked at a graph and said, with complete sincerity, โthat graph looks gorgeous.โ
Their dad, Charlie, is a man of many talents and even more generosity. He plays guitar beautifully and cooks the best barbecue and breakfast. He wastes no time valueing their family quality time, always moving, always making sure everyone is taken care of. He loves cultural exchange and showed the deepest interest in my German traditions while also teaching me about American culture. He travels often, brings home stories from everywhere he goes, and never hesitates to offer help, whether itโs with a project, a question, or simply making me feel at home. His warmth and curiosity set the tone for the entire family.
Tooga-probably the smartest and most empathetic dog in the world. He’s happiest when the whole family is around. He comforts, listens, and wants to give you the greatest love of his Labradoodle heart! He’s shown me that you are personally responsible for your own attitude, to the point where even running or taking out the trash can be the highlights of your day! Not a day goes by that he doesn’t make us laugh. I’m so grateful that he’s part of my host family and accompanies me during my exchange year.
And now onto the most important person: my beautiful host mom Anne-the strongest, most powerful woman I’ve ever met. Anne does everything to be the best mother in the world for her children. Not only that, she helps wherever she can and is there when you need her. She works incredibly hard, practically carrying four brains with her, and is on the go all day to make sure everyone is in the right place at the right time. I can never believe how she can stay awake all day and all night, and not a single day has gone by when she hasn’t been positive and optimistic, always giving her 110%. She is dedicated and tries to provide every opportunity for fun, education and success for her children. She doesn’t stop at caring for her family; she is also actively involved in the local church community, neighborhood and her children’s schools.ย
Anne is the central figure and regularly arranges meetings and exchanges for friends, acquaintances or parents in need. She’s connected with muscular dystrophy associations and other medical organizations to ensure she always has access to the best information and research for her daughter and friends. If you so much as whisper a thought, Anne will immediately give you a list of at least three people who can help you and will set everything in motion to help you reach your goal! I’m convinced she has a quarter of the world’s population in her contact list. She is putting so much effort in Betsy ฬs opportunity to have a Care Professional living with them. She always knows the right thing to say. She has helped me overcome difficult times and always thinks of me when she sees something that could help me. Her full support is my greatest gift.
One of the most exceptional qualities of my host family is the way they live inclusivity, not as a concept, but a daily practice. Everyone is treated as capable, valued and full of potential. Everyone supports everyone and they try to be there whenever someone has a tournament or event. Another remarkable aspect is the intentional way they create an accessible and inclusive enviroment. Their home is fully wheelchair-accessible, with thoughtful adaptions that allow their oldest daughter, Betsy, to participate with the highest independence possible. Activities and family outings are planned so that everyone can be included. They brought me along on every trip, introduced me to every family member and friend and welcomed me into every holiday celebration and special dinner. They even embraced my own traditions, for example, letting me celebrate โNikolausโ with them and enthusiastically trying every German pastry and bread I baked or snack and candy I brought home. A very special moment for me was, when my host dad Charlie read a German Christmas story on Christmas Eve. I love when they ask me about my German background or when they try to learn a German word. Last year their eldest son, William, needed to prepare a speciality from another country for a school project. Together we baked a very tradional Saxonian โDresdener Eierscheckeโ (German Cheesecake) and he got some good extra credits for that!
A clear example of their commitment to inclusion and growth is their long-standing membership at the Lakeshore Foundation, an adaptive-sports and rehabilitation center where Betsy plays power soccer with incredible passion. Being part of this community shows how important creating opportunities for every child to thrive is.
Professionally this year has shown me a new side of my occupation that I hadn ฬt encountered before. My host family gave me the opportunity to learn about all of Betsy ฬs medical and therapeutic needs and they trusted me to be an active part of her care. I attended occupational therapy sessions and doctor appointments with them, meeting her amazing OT, who is a great support professionally. Togehter with Betsy, I developed a full therapy and goal plan and I even had the chance to craft and build new therapy tools tailored to her needs. One special memory was traveling with them to Boston to accompany Betsy to a speech tournament at Harvard. Seeing her on that trip with her school group full of smart and amazing people was a moment that showed me her strength, determination and the incredible support system her family has built around her.
When lifting Betsy out of her wheelchair became physically challenging for me, Anne and Charlie immediately stepped in with compassion and problem-soving measures. Later in my year they gifted me a membership to the Lakeshore Foundation, where I worked with a professional team to build strength safely and effectively. The family ฬs own dicipline with physical fitness inspired me to start running and exercising regularly. Over time, I became stronger, healthier and more energized throughout the day.
They also encouraged my personal interests, no matter how small. When I expressed my passion for working with younger children, they connected me with our church ฬs dayschool. Volunteering there twice a week with children ages one to four has been one of the greatest joys of my exchange year and a little dream come true.
What makes their home such an exceptional place to work and live is, that they incorporate me into American life with enthusiasm, from local traditions to community events, and they make sure I always seize every experience that comes my way. Cultural exchange comes naturally as we share traditions, knowledge and perspectives (mostly at the dinner table).
I am very grateful to have ended up in your family Tooga, Ellen, William, Betsy, Anne and Charlie. Through each one of you I was able to experience the heart of Apex ฬs mission and had a true meaningful human connection. I will be thankful for the extraordinary family experience and for your help to grow into the person and therapist I am becoming.
– Melinda
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At Apex Social, we believe in care that transforms, not just for the children we serve, but for everyone involved. If youโre inspired by the Pringle familyโs story, now is the time to start your own Apex Social journey.
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