Recently, more than 900 families were randomly surveyed by CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) about the benefits they received through hosting exchange students. CSIET is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring safety and quality in the international youth exchange industry.
More than 500 families said it was a learning experience not only culturally, but also socially. More than 300 families reported that it was beneficial in terms of enhancing their own families, such as providing them with extended families, and promoting interaction and mutual respect as a family. Having a cultural experience ranked as their third largest benefit, including cultural interaction and exposure to other cultures and customs.
Before deciding to host, families surveyed felt that ‘the cultural experience’ was a reason to want to host, plus many mentioned that they felt it would be something they could do that would benefit their own children. “Having never hosted before, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said one host mom who welcomed her student in 2007. “Plus, I had two teenagers already and was a single mom. Bringing a new family member into our lives made many of the simple things we took for granted stand out. It brought us all closer together in ways that we never would have otherwise. I’m particularly thankful for that because my son is going off to college next year.”
-For more survey results, visit CSIET Hosting Satisfaction Study or the CSIET website.Hear What Real AFS Host Families Have to Say About Their Experiences
“We have gained the experience of learning about a culture we knew next to nothing about. Most importantly, we formed a close bond with the student and his family, and hope that the relationship continues in the future.” - Host family of an Argentinian AFS student
“No matter how many stories we heard about family bonds that last forever, we were surprised how naturally Gam became part of our family. We were concerned about dividing our time between all three daughters. However, this was not the case. Gam fit into our family as if we had always had three girls.” - Host family of a Thai AFS student “We learned to look at how we interact as a family in a slightly different way; Barbara made us think about why we did things the way we did, and we learned to take into consideration a different point of view. We have another daughter/sister now, although she is living in another country. It makes the world much smaller than I thought it was.” - Host family of an Austrian AFS student.
“I think we all gained something special from the experience. It probably brought us together as a family as a result. It was my son who became the closest to Rafik and was probably the most emotional at having to say good-bye to him.” - Host family of an Egyptian AFS student
Do you have an experience as a Host Family you would like to Share? Feel free to reply to this blog or email: afsbaltimorechapter@yahoo.com
For More information about Becoming a Host family or learning more about the options, and you are in the Baltimore/Washington DC Area contact: afsbaltimorechapter@yahoo.com or 1-800-876-2377
All others interested in Hosting nationwide contact: 1-800-AFSINFO for more Information.
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