Advice on Exchange Student Scrapbook

[TN Traveler]

Hi All--I need some input and suggestions.
From Aug 1986 to June 1987, DH and I hosted an Exchange Student from Italy. After he went back home to Milan we would send letters and occasionally call but then stopped communications. No particular reason other than the fact that DH & I started our family and just got too busy. During the last 2 or 3 years, we have connected w/him again via email and instand message. About 2 weeks ago he informed us he will be coming to the States for a visit!! We are so excited we can hardly stand it!!
Now he is a 37 yr old grown man which blows my mind b/c he turned 18 when he was living w/us. Time sure flies by!! So now, I'm thinking I would like to make a scrapbook for him of his year w/us. I have 23 pictures that I had copied today at Wal-Mart. I have pictures of him playing soccer on the high school team, working out w/his num-chucks in the back yard, a few Christmas pictures, when he went to Prom and was an escort for Cotillion as well as misc pictures of him w/other exchange students and events through the year. I bought an 8 x 8 album today that I thought would be good to work with. Now, if I can just figure out how to get started! I have tried to contact a few of the kids that he remembered but so far have not reached anyone. He is coming in 4/7-9 so I don't have alot of time to do a big fancy album so looking for ideas on where to go w/this. Has anyone done an album like this? Any suggestions on where to get started?
A friend of mine graduated 2 yrs behind him and has offered to let me borrow her class annual to copy pictures that he is in. "SOMEWHERE" I know I have an article that was in our local newspaper where he was interviewed and thought that would be good to include if I can find it. Once I get started I think I'll be ok...it's just getting started.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Karen

 

[TN Traveler]

HELP!! Looking for any suggestions!! Anyone have any ideas?!
karen

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

Ok, this is really "scrapbook cheating" to purists, I guess, so please don't flame me! Since you don't have a lot of time, you could always go to Target, AC Moore, or Hallmark. They have the pre-embellished albums (looks like something you would put together if you had a ton of time). There are different themes. One is friendship--that might be a way to just put the pictures in, and then they have areas to journal. That's just a thought!

 

[TN Traveler]

Stitch --- Thank you for your reply. I looked at the Target here locally and couldn't find anything I liked. I did find an 8 x 8 album on sale at Kohl's!!
What a surprise that was. Anyway...I guess I'm just really having a hard time figuring out where to start w/this. I want to get copies from other host parents but so far the 3 I've talked to either don't have a clue where their pictures are or didnt' take any of our kid. One even told me what few pictures she had were thrown in a box in her attic!! Oh the HORROR!tCan you imagine taking pictures and just throwing them in a box and not taking care of them!!? Why spend the money on the film and developing if you're not going to put them in an album and take care of them!?? Anyway........

I found the actual application and Questionaire he filled out before he came here and thought it'd be good if somehow I could include that but it's so big! I might be able to reduce it and put some of the pages on 2 pages but I don't know.....Another mom did tell me she thought she had a group pix of him w/the high school soccer team which would be a good start but again, she's not sure where it is. I think once I get the introduction page started, I'll be moving along fairly quickly...it's just getting started. Kinda like writing a thesis for college!!
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or input anyone can offer.
Karen