Hosting a Student
A host family is a vital part of the cultural exchange, immersing the student in a variety of activities while in the host country. The host family plays a large role in offering the student a view of another country and gains the opportunity to learn about a new culture from a young leader. Hosting is a tremendous experience in which you can share in a young person’s hopes and dreams and develop a lifelong connection with a student and family from another country. It can be challenging to help a young person transition to a new culture and ease into the surroundings but the rewards are immeasurable. Host families in the Youth Exchange program come in all shapes and sizes. They can be Rotarians or non-Rotarians, and may include young children, older children, or no children at all. Have you ever hosted or been an exchange student?
Benefits
Being a host family is not required for students going on exchange from our District, but is strongly recommended. It is important to note that many other countries require families that send a student on exchange to also host a student. The experience will possibly help you understand:
- How the host family of Rotary Exchange student might feel:
It gives you as parents an opportunity to see and experience the challenges that all families experience when they include a ‘foreigner’ in their family. You will get a taste of what some families will experience when they host one of our (or perhaps even your) students.
- What your student might experience:
It will give you as parents an opportunity to counsel your student on the things that challenge and frustrate you by having an exchange student. Perhaps these experiences will help your own student avoid those challenges when they become a part of another family.
- For your student to experience an exchange student:
It will give the student an opportunity to see the challenges that a student faces being placed in a family whose way of doing things is different from what they have experienced all of their life. It will give your student an opportunity to see both sides (from the parents’ point of view and the student’s point of view) those things which can be discouraging or frustrating by having an ‘intruder’ or ‘guest’ and may very well alert the student to the challenges which can arise from jealousy, one of the most difficult situations our students are regularly called upon to deal with.
- Adjustment to a different culture:
If it is possible for you to host a student sometime during the next six months, it may be the most valuable training your own student can have prior to leaving for her/his own exchange. If you have hosted in the past, for any youth exchange program, please consider hosting again before your student’s exchange begins. We cannot stress enough the value of this experience to the future success of your student’s exchange.
- Time Commitment
Most long-term exchange students live with two or three host families during their exchange. This means the student may live with you for anywhere between three and six months. Host Parents must also have a background check for everyone 18 and over living in their home and attend all required Host Family Training. Youth Protection Training is also required.