International Experience (iE-USA) has announced that visiting students, ages 15-18, from around the world are seeking host families for the upcoming 2016-2017 academic school year. Host families are needed for the fall semester and full school year.
Hosting an international student is a great way to explore a new culture and promote a sense of lifelong learning and adventure.
“Every year our state plays host to many talented, top-of-their-class students with the lifelong dream of studying in America,” said Emily Rolin, iE-USA’s regional director, “and our communities reap the rewards.”
Rolin, who boasts 10 years of work in student exchange, says that each student who visits her community brings with them a unique perspective. “We have the opportunity to see through their eyes: to explore another culture not through travel, but through relationships.”
Families who host an exchange student often benefit on a more personal level, forming family ties that last far beyond the boundaries of the exchange. Hosting an international student offers these local families a realistic way to explore a new culture right at home. “My wife and I wanted to travel the world, but we both worked full time, so we brought the world to us!” said Dave Long, a retired Vietnam veteran who has been hosting exchange students since 1982.
iE-USA exchange student participants are between the ages of 15-18 and come from many countries including Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Thailand, Montenegro, and Argentina. Each student undergoes an extensive application process and is responsible for his/her own spending money and health insurance coverage.
A list of current students can be found online at http://www.iE-USA.org.
Host families (traditional families, singles, empty nesters, etc.) serve as mentors and a home base for their student. Visiting students participate as active members of the family and integrate into their host’s daily routines and traditions just like any other family member.
iE-USA, the sponsoring program, is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting education and understanding through intercultural and academic exchange. iE-USA is certified by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) and strictly adheres to all U.S. Department of State Student Exchange Program regulations and guidelines.
To learn more, contact iE-USA’s national office at (888) 266-2921 or usa@international-experience.net and they will connect those interested with the local coordinator.
