Hosting a foreign exchange student for a year?

[azasadny]

Our family is seriously considering hosting a student this year. Our 17year old daughter Becky made best friends with two Austrian girls who were hosted by people in our town. We have to decide soon because the student would arrive some time in late August. We're thinking that a girl close to Becky's age would be perfect.

The two families who hosted the Austrian girls and the two girls themselves recommended us to the organization and said that we would be "perfect". Beth and I hosted a Japanese girl way back in 1988 or so for a few months during the summer when I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA and we all really enjoyed the experience.

Beth is not working and is looking for a teaching job, so money is extremely tight for us, but this really isn't as much of a financial commitment as it is a commitment to spend the time and effort to be sure this person really feels comfortable in our home and gets an excellent experience.

Since Becky is really into dance, swimming, rowing and playing the cello (and her dog, Daisy), the organization would try to match us up with another girl with similar interests. We're thinking a German or Austrian, but it could be any country... The Austrian student really loves our pool and comes over to swim with Becky and our next-door neighbors quite often. Both exchange students spent quite a bit of time at our home and seemed to be very comfortable, pleasant and fun to be around.

We're a pretty low-key, low maintenance family so we want to be sure we get a good match so it's a positive experience for all involved.

Has anyone here ever hosted an exchange student or know someone who did? What was your experience like?

[azasadny]

Nobody?

[Christien]

I would say do it. This sounds like one of those things that, while at the time may seem like a bit of an inconvenience, ends up being one of those things you remember forever.

My sister did an exchange with a Swedish girl when they were 12 or 13 and everyone loved it.

[HardDrive]

I have nothing to add to this thread that would honorable.

[Rick Lee]

Art, it was the best thing I ever did and it changed my life forever. One Sunday in church when I was around 13, the pastor announced the need for host families for a few German exchange students. I was always a German buff and wanted to take it once I got into high school. The guy we took in was a good guy and really lit the fire for me to get into German. I began teaching myself before I started German in high school. When I was a junior I went to be an exchange student in Germany and I went to that class's 20th reunion in Germany last May (I was put back a grade and they go a year longer than we do). I still keep in touch with all my friends there. One girl from Austria, who was in the group with our German exchange student, is still a dear friend to this day. She is three yrs. older than me and I've visited her about 20 times in Austria, went to her sister's wedding and feel like they're my second family. I was just there in May. Austria is a slice of heaven. I would live there in a heartbeat. But what they speak ain't German. Some folks laughed when Obama called their language Austrian, but that's really what it is. In written form, it's German. Not so in spoken form. My German is now almost as good as my English and I can easily pass for a native when visiting there.

[red-beard]

We hosted an exchnage student for 3 weeks, around 1982. The only things I remember are he stunk and he called me a Nazi for being in the Boy Scouts.

My neice is about to go to Spain for a year.

[azasadny]

Thanks for the great feedback, guys! I showed Beth the replies, especially Rick's. I think we will have to make our decision this weekend. Thanks again!

[Tobra]

What are all you grown ups doing in this thread? Okay, since HD would not do it


are they hot?

Okay, seriously, I would encourage you to do so. My daughter-in-law was an exchange student in Spain and still corresponds with her host family, years later. When she had twin daughters, one's name was inspired by the children of her hosts. The other's name was inspired by the catcher of the SF Giants. My son's doing, his wife said, "It is a flower too."

I don't know that I have ever heard of someone that hosted an exchange student and was unhappy about it in any way.

[Noah930]

Are you allowed to upgrade to an au pair?

Sorry, nothing of value to add, as I've never been on the receiving end of exchange student status. Re: finances, aren't some of them (i.e. for food) covered by the participant's family/organization?

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by red-beard

We hosted an exchnage student for 3 weeks, around 1982. The only things I remember are he stunk and he called me a Nazi for being in the Boy Scouts.

My neice is about to go to Spain for a year.

Red-I had no idea you were one of those dreaded nazi boy scouts!

[Rick Lee]

Au pairs are a different ballgame. I've known a lot of them too. They're usually of age and I've seen one or two become homewreckers. Exchange students are just another mouth to feed, but are responsible for all their other expenses.

[azasadny]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! The student's parents take care of clothes, medical ins. and incidentals (school expenses, etc...). All the host family is responsible for is food and shelter...

[Mothy]

Our family has hosted about 8 exchange students over the years ranging in time from 3 months up to 1 year. Absolutely the best experience. Not all perfect but then again neither are you own kids! Most have been thru Rotary Youth Exchange which does a pretty good job theses days of screening out the mismatches.
Two of my kids went on exchange for a year. One to Denmark and one to upstate New York (Rome). Both had a great time and are still in contact with their friends from those times.
I'd say go for it.
Tim

[Mothy]

I should have added that the ones we hosted came from Denmark, Finland, USA, Mexico, France, Austria, Italy and England. All were of a similar age to one of our children at the time, so they mixed in well.

[azasadny]

Thanks!!

[mossguy]

Art, I have no personal experience with the student exchange program (when I was a kid, we were still shooting at each other) but it seems that you, Beth, and Becky would be the ideal family to do this and enjoy it. I know it would be a positive experience for the exchange student. Just don't try to teach them how to grill! j/k

[Rick Lee]

Even after I was in college, my folks hosted the sisters of two of the exchange students we'd hosted when I was in high school. Our families are still very close and their folks call my folks once in a while to chat. Right after I came home from my first exchange (I did it both in hs and college), there was a German au pair across the street from us. We became great friends and I got to keep my German in shape between trips to the Fatherland. My folks became the go-to house for all the local German au pairs' car and home emergencies.

BTW, I was kicked out of the house by the first family I lived with two weeks before I was to return home. It was the best thing that ever happened to me because the second family was from E. Germany and that facilitated my being able to go visit their old village on my next trip, still before the Wall came down. I made up with the first family the following summer and we're all still great friends. Their son just bought his second 911, a 71 T. I brought him Wayne's 101 Projects book on my trip there last year.

But truth be told, in a student exchange, the student and the host family tend to learn more about themselves than each other. If you haven't had a lot of up-close experience with foreigners, it will make you think and will pique your curiosity. Imagine how silly it was when I was taking the Foreign Service exam last year and one of the essay questions was to describe an interaction I had had with a foreigner. I was stumped and.....well, we're doomed.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by azasadny

Thanks for the feedback, guys! The student's parents take care of clothes, medical ins. and incidentals (school expenses, etc...). All the host family is responsible for is food and shelter...

Wow. Presumably you've already got "shelter" covered in your family's expenses. But another mouth to feed can run a few thousand dollars. Even if you only figured $10 per day (probably a vast underestimation, IMO), that's $300 per month x 9 months.

[gshase]

We had a girl stay with us that was from Bangkok. We had a great time and my family learned a lot for the 3 months she was with us. A great experience.

[porsche4life]

Quote de red-beard

We hosted an exchnage student for 3 weeks, around 1982. The only things I remember are he stunk and he called me a Nazi for being in the Boy Scouts.



My neice is about to go to Spain for a year.

Red-I had no idea you were one of those dreaded nazi boy scouts!

Neither did I.... Surprised it didn't come up the other day, with both Tom and I being 2%'ers and all.