Charles Osgood reports on a group of Bosnian high school students who, uprooted by war, find a new sense of safety and routine in Exeter, New Hampshire. Originally broadcast November 20, 1994, the story follows how a small New England town and its schools offer displaced young people continuity and a chance to recover.
The piece focuses on everyday life: classrooms where teachers work to bridge language gaps, host families learning new rhythms as they take in teenagers haunted by the past, and informal places—cafeterias, sports fields, living rooms—where fragile friendships form. It documents practical adjustments and quiet acts of kindness: a coach translating drills, a host mother cooking familiar dishes, a counselor sitting late to listen. Those small exchanges, Osgood shows, accumulate into a broader process of healing.
The report also looks at the give-and-take of resettlement. Students bring their stories, customs, and hopes; residents offer stability and routines that help restore confidence. Amid the challenges of exile—loss, interrupted schooling, cultural differences—there are moments of laughter, pride at school achievements, and the slow building of trust. Osgood’s portrait is one of resilience and cautious optimism, capturing how community and continuity can create space for young people to rebuild their lives after conflict.