Many exchange students report being put on the spot by their peers, host parents, family members, and/or Rotarians during their year when they are asked questions about home country politics, environment, economy, society, etc. You can be caught off guard by these types of questions. Your hosts and others you meet abroad have an honest interest in knowing and learning more about your home country. They rarely ask questions for the purpose of criticizing, making you uncomfortable, or testing you, though that may be your impression if you are not prepared.

It is your responsibility as a Youth Exchange ambassador to be knowledgeable of what is going on at home. Take a little bit of time every few days to stay up on national news from home, particularly related to politics, international affairs, and questions of ethical importance. Read or watch news from many sources (both American and international, sources you or your family tend to agree with and those you don’t). This is important so you can come to your own conclusions on issues, and so you can better understand different perspectives on an issue. General knowledge of our political system is also important.

The questions below are meant to start you thinking and learning about your culture BEFORE you go. They represent actual questions that our prior students have been asked while overseas. Remember, these are just examples and will vary based on current events and your host country.

 Potential Questions: 

  1. What is your family life like? Is it true that your mother rules the house and that you never eat together as a family? What are your family values?
  2. Why do you put old people in nursing homes rather than take care of them at home as we do?
  3. Are Americans really happy? All we see on TV and in your movies is divorce, husbands, and wives cheating on each other, killing and crime, drugs, cults. Is it really not safe to walk downtown at night?
  4. Why do the different races all distrust and hate one another? Why do white people treat people of color so badly? Why do you keep Native Americans on reservations in such poverty?
  5. Your election is coming up. Tell us a little about each of the candidates. 
  6. Did you read about our country before you came? Tell me some of the things you learned about our government and how we handle health care. What are some things you’d like to know more about?
  7. We are going to take you to our capital next weekend. Can you tell me anything about it?
  8. What’s your school like? You’ve been here a few months now, compare your school with ours. Which one do you like better? We have been told that our schools are more difficult because we give our students more responsibility to learn.
  9. Your citizens seem to waste a lot of energy and we have to pay more for gas and oil because you waste it. You all drive big cars, have lots of appliances, live in your own homes, and you don’t seem to care about the rest of us on a day to day basis. How would you change things to make your citizens more energy conscious? 
  10. And, currently, anything and everything about ISIS, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, the War on Terrorism, North Korea, the Middle East, etc.
  11. Describe how the government works in the United States of America.

 

Responding:

There are many more questions that may be asked. In addition to being knowledgeable, you also need to consider how best to respond when asked. The following are a few recommendations to help you avoid confrontation and argument. Remember, no one ever really wins an argument. 

  • Avoid getting drawn into an argument
    • Start out your response with “I’m not sure I understand your question but I think…;” “ …Yes, but I think…;” “…You may be right, but another way to look at it is…;” or the BEST line “Many Americans would agree with you…”
  •  Avoid these discussions when you are in a hurry. You need time to consider your responses.
  •  Use examples whenever you can as they help to illustrate a point and usually are more easily understood, especially when there is a language barrier.
  • Don’t be defensive!
  •  Remind others that what they see and hear on TV, radio and in the newspapers may be a distortion, just the same as what we see may be a distortion of their country, and that both of you need to learn from each other what the truth is from your respective perceptions.
  •  Give your questioners time to explain themselves and try to have an open discussion. Remember that each of your cultures and backgrounds are different and neither is right or wrong.