It was intended as nothing more than a “meet-and-greet,” but organizers were surprised.

Not only did the guests meet and greet each other, but they got to know each other, too.

The Austin chapter of Zonta International hosted a reception at the library Wednesday for foreign exchange students in local high schools and international students studying at Riverland Community College.

Zontians Mary Jo Follmuth, Linda Miller, Abby Wangen, Sue Kohrfage, Cheryl Retterath and Tammi Fett organized the social occasion, that, they said, became a learning experience.

Fett, whom was credited with conceiving the idea, coordinates the Future Leaders Exchange Program, an exchange program with the former Soviet Union. She and her husband, Randall, have hosted foreign exchange students in their home and are doing so again this year.

“What we’re doing is welcoming them to the community,” Fett said.

High school students from Austin, Lyle and Southland, their host families and friends attended.

Riverland international students were also there along with college dignitaries.

Zonta is an international service organization, so it was only natural they were involved, according to Fett.

Zontian Retterath, the club’s president, said the organization’s international student program started in 1948 and today has specific services designed to assist high school or college students from other countries.

“This meet and greet event is a perfect fit, because of Zonta’s international theme,” Retterath said.

Debi Irish, a host parent and Zontian, attended with Anya Bratishko, whom she and her husband, Barry, are hosting.

“Things are going pretty good so far,” she said. “We have our differences, because of the language situation and little misunderstandings, but Anya is a good girl and it’s been a very good experience.”

The Irish family’s guest, Anya, is making her first visit to America.

“It’s been pretty fun so far,” said the Austin High School senior. “I am learning a lot.”

Anya is playing soccer at AHS and it’s a new challenge for her. “In the Ukraine we don’t have soccer so it is a lot of fun for me,” she said.

“This year we have 75 international students at Riverland and we feel their presence enriches teaching and learning at the college, because of the cultural experiences they can bring” Leas said. “They bring an exposure to our students from Minnesota, who then have the opportunity to interact with students from all over the world.”

Riverland has a wide-ranging infrastructure to assist international students.

It begins with admissions director, Dani Heiny, who said an important part of the transition for international students is the responsibility of Mel Morem, RCC’s international student advisor.

“Her main job is to help international students with any transition issues,” Heiny said.

Among the support services Morem coordinates for international students is to match them up with a host family.

According to Morem, 28 different countries are represented among the international population at Riverland.

Royce Helmbrecht, principal at Lyle Public Schools, shared a secondary school administrator’s perspective.

“We have two students at Lyle High School from Germany and Russia,” Helmbrecht said.

The principal and his wife, Karen, are hosting their 15th foreign exchange student this year, a Chinese student studying at AHS.

Helmbrecht said exchange programs work both ways: they help the student and they help the host family, school and community broaden their understanding of different cultures.

Just like a meet-and-greet function did.