Lately many international adoptive families have taken advantage of the wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in their child's birth culture, right in their own home, by hosting an exchange student! In doing so, they have learned first-hand about the country and culture of their child's birth...the holidays, traditions, foods, folklore, songs, dances, and games they want to keep alive in their child's life.

Thousands of young men and women, ages 15-18, arrive each year to attend high school in the US and are welcomed by host families in all 50 states. Many of these students leave behind younger siblings, have had babysitting experience, and are eager to be placed in families with younger children. Host families, extended families, churches, schools and communities have reaped the rewards of hosting students from Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Hungary, Mexico, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and more.

The idea of hosting is really quite simple. Families welcome a student into their home and treat them like a member of the family...as if your niece or nephew were coming to live with you for 10 months. He or she attends your local high school, does homework, helps with chores around the house, makes friends, and takes part in normal family and school activities. Hosts need to provide a bed, a quiet place to study, meals with the family, support and encouragement, and the same rules, responsibilities and privileges you would offer a teen of your own.

An adoptive host mom in PA, just finishing up her year had this to say...

"My exchange student experience this school year has been a delight. My student is from Can Tho Vietnam and has been very helpful to me in respects to my two older children who were adopted from Vietnam at ages 8 and 12. She comes from a family that would be considered wealthy in Vietnam. She is very respectful to everyone and all the teachers say what a delight it is to know her. When making decisions, she always takes into consideration what her parents would prefer and says, "No, thank you" to things she knows her father would disapprove of. She asks me for permission for everything she does or wants to do (something I wish my 13 1/2 year old would do!!!!!) She has received distinguished honors each marking period and is currently ranking 3rd in her class (not bad for a new comer in a Junior year)."

And another adoptive host family just shared their experience...."Our family had the privilege of hosting a 17 year old boy from Vietnam during the last school year, and it was a fantastic experience for us. Quan was a perfect fit. While he came from a wealthy family, he was not a spoiled child. He was kind, well mannered, and a hard worker, both educationally and within our family. He actively participated in our household, and truly became like one of our kids. He was rather unusual in that he preferred hanging out at home rather than going out much of the time. It was a great experience for our children! We would like to host again in the future."

If you would like to learn more about hosting; talk with other adoptive host families; or see profiles of students available to host, please see our website www.globalhostfamily.com or contact Marian Schurz, Director, at mjschurz@comcast.net. We would love to welcome you to the world of hosting!

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