What begins as one teenager’s summer abroad can alter the course of a lifetime. In this special Podcasthon episode of Life Exchanged: Stories of Understanding, host Kelsey Ross sits down with Scott Messing, President & CEO (National Director) of Youth For Understanding USA (YFU USA), to trace his path from a high‑school exchange in Germany to leading one of the world’s most storied exchange organizations. Along the way: cold‑water showers, Roman‑candle “tag,” East vs. West Germany, hosting eight students, and a crystal‑clear case for why exchange matters more today than ever.
“If you’d asked my 20‑year‑old self what my dream job was—it was this. I took the leap.”
Growing Up Global: The Spark for Intercultural Curiosity
Scott’s global outlook didn’t begin with a passport stamp. When his family moved to West Virginia, they spent months in university housing surrounded by neighbors from Turkey, Afghanistan, and China. Shared meals and friendships with kids his age planted a seed: curiosity for cultures and a hunger to understand the world at eye level.
“That’s where I caught the bug for intercultural understanding.”
The Lawn‑Mowing Fund & a Summer in Germany
By junior high, Scott knew he wanted to study abroad; he just had to figure out how to pay for it. His parents made a deal: raise half, and they’d cover the rest. Scott spent two to three years mowing lawns for $10 a yard to make it happen. Destination: Germany, a nod to his family roots and a language he’d begun studying in 10th grade.
On day one, he spent 30 minutes trying to coax hot water from a futuristic‑looking shower, only to learn his host family turned off hot water for the entire summer to save energy. Solution? A stealthy early‑morning routine: heating water in the kitchen and taking strategic sponge baths—never getting caught.
Learning by Living: Manners, Clocks, and Mindset
Exchange isn’t just about landmarks; it’s the tiny, daily revelations that stick.
- Table manners, rethought: After a gentle nudge from his host mom, Scott adopted the European fork‑in‑left‑hand style, realizing the place setting made far more sense that way.
- Time sense, upgraded: He eventually shifted to a 24‑hour clock, and he’s still working on thinking in Celsius without mental conversions.
- Independence & perspective: The thrill wasn’t only the big trips. It was the kitchen‑table conversations that changed how he saw the world.
East Meets West: A Front‑Row Seat to History
Scott returned to Germany for a year‑long college program in Heidelberg, and used the opportunity to visit family roots in what was then East Germany. He remembers the dialect shock in Thuringia, where even after seven months, he could barely understand the local Plattdeutsch.
A later class trip took him through East Berlin and into West Berlin on a visa technicality. In a pre‑cell‑phone comedy of errors, he and a friend arranged to meet “under the tower,” only to discover there were two—a TV tower in the West and a radio tower in the East. They waited under different towers… and somehow still found each other that night.
“When I went back after reunification, my memories of East Germany felt black‑and‑white—while what I saw then was in color.”
From Law to Leadership: Letting Purpose Lead
After college, Scott went to law school, worked in private practice, and served in state government and national associations, joining trade missions to Singapore, Japan, and Israel. Then a colleague introduced him to YFU USA. He wasn’t job‑hunting, but the mission called him back to the moment that changed his life.
“If you asked my 20‑year‑old self what my dream job would’ve been, it was this. I decided to take the leap into the unknown.”
Hosting at Home: Eight Students, One Growing Family
Scott and his partner became host parents a year into his YFU role, eventually hosting eight students, often two at a time, so they’d have peer support. They looked for students who were athletic or adventurous enough to try mountain biking and join their annual ski trips. Several kept biking back home and sent photos of their new bikes with pride.
They also hosted a German student in 2019–2020, whose year was cut short by the pandemic. He’s since visited twice; Scott later met his parents in Germany. Over time, they’ve met almost all of their students’ families in Norway, Sweden, and Germany, and those bonds continue to deepen.
“You invite these students into your home and they become family—then you become family to their families.”
What Makes a Great Host Parent?
Scott’s short list:
- Listen first, encourage often.
- Do things together, but also nudge them to fly.
- Be the parent, not just the friend. (Especially true for host parents without kids of their own.)
Hosting taught him to keep sensitive work matters at work (a surprising gift for work‑life balance) and to cherish the small, everyday wins, like trying a new activity, joining a club, speaking a sentence in a new language.
Why Exchange Matters, Especially Now
At its core, exchange expands our circle of care. It reframes disagreement as an opportunity to understand, even if we don’t ultimately agree.
“You might not come to agree with a different view, but you can come to understand it—and respect it.”
In a polarized world, that’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity. Exchanges ripple through entire communities, classrooms, host families, teams, and neighborhoods, with effects that last for decades.
75 Years of YFU: A Living Legacy
YFU is celebrating 75 years of creating intercultural connections. Behind each placement is a deeply human 24/7 support system, orientations, Local Coordinators, compliance and safety protocols, and a network that works like a well‑run “UN,” aligned by shared guidelines and a common purpose.
Scott’s north star for the next 75 years: make exchange more accessible, especially for students with the desire but not the means, to reignite outbound U.S. study‑abroad numbers and invite more American families to host.
“The world feels less scary when you know someone in it.”
Scott’s Advice to Students (and, honestly, to all of us)
- Jump in when you’re uncomfortable. Time flies; the biggest regret is holding back.
- Cringe culture is dead. Try the thing. Speak the language. Join the club.
- Say yes to the small moments. That’s where transformation lives.
Quick Bites from the Episode
Best German breakfast: A fresh, crusty Brötchen—soft inside—“with butter and marmalade… or loaded with bratwurst and mustard from a street stand.”
Wildest teen memory: Roman‑candle “tag” on a terrace (do not try this at home).
Lifelong keepsake: Letters that became Facebook reconnections… and godfather status to a friend’s son.
Leadership mantra: Hands‑on, never micromanaging; always learning.
Big picture: Exchange is “preventative diplomacy,” because understanding is the foundation of peace.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
Whether you study abroad, host a student, volunteer locally, or give to scholarships, you help write the next student’s story.
Ready to make an impact?