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Community Corner

Hosting an International Student Can Be Rewarding

Can you imagine the feeling of the first few days in a new country? This experience can be compared to the first few months after birth, as you spend your time taking in your surroundings and trying to understand everything you are sensing. One of the keys to the Human Condition is our essential attachment to family. However, when we travel, often times we cannot bring our family with us.

We are looking for people that want to provide a safe and nurturing Host Family experience to our international students. The families we are looking for are; interested in the world and want to enrich their own home with the addition of an international student. Our students come from all corners of the world to learn English and immerse themselves in American culture. They sign up for our home-stay experience to make the most of their time in the United States.

When you decide to host an international student, you become their cultural guide and “extended family;” introducing them to a whole new world and helping them interact with it. Next to fully grasping the language, the second most desired thing by international students is making great American friends, however many are never able to find an American family that is willing to have them in their home. Our students want to feel the comfort of home and take part in our American way of life.

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Not only does the student benefit from this environment, but your family can also receive the reward and gratification of helping a young person experience all that our great country has to offer. Many times you will feel that you are gaining more than just a friend...often the experience of taking in an international student is similar to taking in a new son or daughter. Students get homesick, they miss their family and are alone without much of a support network, which you as a Host Family can help fulfill. Hosting international students is a great way for your family to gain friends from all over the world. Meanwhile, your household will learn about their way of life, enjoy new cuisines and receive a modest monetary reimbursement for your services.

We look for hosts who are; interested in the world, care about the well-being of others and live near public transportation. The prospect of hosting an international student may not the best way to earn an extra paycheck, but it is a unique opportunity to broaden your own and your student’s horizons. Being a Host Family is like representing the America that you and your family want to show the world. This is your opportunity to spread a message globally about our values and beliefs.

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Requirements for a home stay family include most importantly student inclusion and providing a welcome environment. An ideal Host Family should; speak English at home, provide a furnished bedroom, have internet access, provide students access to at least 2 meals a day (breakfast and dinner,) and welcome the student to participate in family’s gatherings, outings, etc. We provide Host Family training and compensation from $800 to $900 per month, per student.

Remember, students who live with a Host Family are seeking to experience American culture by living with a family. Whether it is sharing meals, going to the beach, or catching a game, time together will help the student improve their language skills and enrich your life with excitement. Open up your doors, windows and hearts to an international student and you will find a new home for yourself.

If you would like to benefit from this enriching intercultural experience for your family, please email us a brief description of your home and why it would make a great place for the student to stay during the year. Pictures welcome. 

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