As the year begins, there are many things exchange students need to know in order to adapt to and fit in with their host family. Most students will have been to an orientation in their home country before leaving for their exchange, but it’s impossible to remember or cover everything. In the U.S., exchange students have […]
Students will be arriving soon for their exchange year around the world. Many have already arrived and in some places, they have started their school year. Perhaps you as a host family are taking a vacation before your student arrives and need something to read on the road. Perhaps your student has arrived and you […]
This is part 3 in our series on host family tips; part 1 is about contacting your student before arrival and part 2 talks about a few thoughts about pre-arrival preparation. Today we’ll share a few thoughts on setting expectations when your student arrives. “Expectations” includes both the do’s and don’ts as well as fun […]
This is part 2 in our series on host family tips; here is last week’s tip. Today, let’s think about some preparation ideas for before your exchange student arrives. Here are a few suggestions that have worked for our host families.Set Up The BedroomYou do not need to remodel or get new furniture, but you […]
It amazes us every year to see the lengths that families go to welcome their students: taking them on excursions around the community, showing them the local high school, and just spending time with them. We’re always in awe with how much people are willing to do! Bringing a student into the host family home, however, […]
A few years back, I did a blog post on the pros and cons of direct placements. These are exchange student placements in which the student or his/her family back home knows the host family in the host country, and they request that the student be placed in that family. Today’s post is a companion […]
I so love this video! Says it all in just a few short minutes. The power of cultural exchange! Having someone from another country living in your home changes them and changes you — for the better. That’s just one of the many reasons why we should make every effort to learn about people from […]
edit NoteWe hear many misperceptions regarding host family expectations, so we thought it was time to revisit this issue. There are many reasons why Americans host teens from other countries. Hosting a student provides an opportunity to learn about another culture. Moreover, people everywhere are proud of their culture and their country, and want to […]