Today marks the end of International Education Week, so in light of that, I thought I'd share some of my favorite exchange student stories I collected over the years. One thing I miss about my job is that I don't get to hear these sorts of anecdotes anymore. What am I going to talk about at parties now??
When I dropped a student off at the airport to travel to his host state, I explained that his coordinator would pick him up at the airport and drive him to his host family's house. The student had seen a picture of his coordinator so knew she was a 70-something grandma type. He looked at me incredulously and said, "She drives a car??" Yes honey, in America, babushkas drive themselves around :)
I was at a mid-year gathering of exchange students and asked them what had surprised them about America so far. They replied, "how people burp in public!" Apparently in their home countries, it's very impolite to burp. One boy recounted how there was a cute girl at his host school, but then she burped loudly on the bus and it really grossed him out.
At a departure debriefing for our students, I overheard several of them discussing if Christians believe that Jesus is God or not. (Note for anyone who is not sure: yes, this is kind of the main point of Christianity, as in Jesus Christ.) I'm sure their host churches would be disappointed to know they didn't communicate this main theological point very clearly!
A student refused to eat the oatmeal his host mom made for breakfast, claiming that he knew she was hiding broccoli in there. Host mom told me it was blueberries. I'm inclined to believe her.
A natural mom (student's mom in the home country) was shocked and appalled to find out that the chore of "washing the dishes" included not only plates and silverware, but pots and pans as well! She wrote to ask that her child be exempt from the more onerous latter half of the chore, but that didn't really fly with the host family...
A student insisted on changing host families because her American family wore their shoes indoors, something that she never did in her home country. She asked them to take off their shoes, but they said they preferred to keep them on. Culture shock, anyone?
I showed up at a host school to visit a student who I'd heard was having a rough time adjusting to his small-town, rural Western U.S. placement. As I waited for him in front of the school, I saw the other students walking around in jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes, and sporting a fair bit of camo. Then the student came strolling out wearing a button-up patterned shirt, fitted red corduroy slacks, snakeskin shoes, and knock-off Gucci glasses. Uh huh, yes, I imagine you are having hard time fitting in!
I was driving a student home from an event when we passed through a cloud of skunk spray. When I told her what it was, she was super excited because she'd never smelled a skunk before.
When I asked an 18 year old boy what was his favorite memory so far, he said he loved riding the big yellow school bus, just like they do in the movies! I don't know many 18-year-old American boys who would say that :)
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 20
Showing posts with label international relations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label international relations. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2015
Monday, November 9, 2015
3 Great Reasons to Host an Exchange Student
Thousands of foreign young people come to this country each year as exchange students. Whether they stay a few weeks or several months, the interactions they have with Americans form rich memories that will last a lifetime. Have you ever considered opening your home to host an international visitor? Here are three reasons why I think you should.
1. Have fun
Welcoming a new person into your family creates all sorts of opportunities for fun and enjoyment through living life together. Imagine the sparkle in your student's eye as she builds her first snowman (and probably sings the Frozen soundtrack along with your kids). Or, you can explain to your student who's never had a hamburger before what they are and why we put "grass" on them (shredded lettuce).
Have you been meaning to check out that new museum, park, or sports team in town but just haven't made it yet? With a foreign student in your home, you'll have the perfect excuse to play tourist in your own city.
2. Learn something new
Let's face it - we can't all pick up and leave our jobs and homes behind for an extended period of time to traipse around a foreign country and immerse ourselves in another culture. But, by living with an international student, you're bringing the world to your home. Hosting is a great way to "travel" without ever stepping on an airplane!
You can learn all sorts of things from your foreign student. For example, did you know that in countries around the Caspian Sea, they celebrate the first day of Spring with the holiday Nowruz? It's a lovely celebration that involves a table set with the 7 S's (items beginning with the letter S in the Persian language). Or perhaps you already know that Japanese people eat with chopsticks, but wouldn't you like to learn proper chopstick etiquette?
Beyond learning about another language and culture, your student and your family can also develop important life skills through the hosting experience. You'll learn new ways to communicate, how to be flexible and adaptable, and how to see the world through someone else's eyes (empathy).
3. Be patriotic
That's right, average citizen, even you have a role to play in America's foreign relations. By forming enduring ties with people from other countries, you are participating in the important work of public diplomacy, which is the realm of international affairs that happens on an interpersonal rather than inter-governmental level. If you've shared pancakes with someone on a cozy Saturday morning, the theory goes, you're less likely to want to go to war with that person's country. I mean, in a nutshell. Public diplomacy is more that pancakes, but you get the idea. Plus, who knows, that kid you're making pancakes for might become a member of parliament in his country some day!
You can also share with the student you host all the great things about our country, like our spirit of volunteerism, the power of civil society, and the effectiveness of grass-roots efforts to make a difference. These might seem like obvious concepts to you, but in some parts of the world, these ideas are pretty novel.
Are you pumped up and ready to host??
Great! Just so you know, most organizations have hosting opportunities for all types of families - single people, married, with kids, no kids, urban, suburban, rural, etc.
Who knows, maybe you'll wind up with a cute magnet like this as a present from your visitor! :)
1. Have fun
Welcoming a new person into your family creates all sorts of opportunities for fun and enjoyment through living life together. Imagine the sparkle in your student's eye as she builds her first snowman (and probably sings the Frozen soundtrack along with your kids). Or, you can explain to your student who's never had a hamburger before what they are and why we put "grass" on them (shredded lettuce).
Have you been meaning to check out that new museum, park, or sports team in town but just haven't made it yet? With a foreign student in your home, you'll have the perfect excuse to play tourist in your own city.
2. Learn something new
Let's face it - we can't all pick up and leave our jobs and homes behind for an extended period of time to traipse around a foreign country and immerse ourselves in another culture. But, by living with an international student, you're bringing the world to your home. Hosting is a great way to "travel" without ever stepping on an airplane!
You can learn all sorts of things from your foreign student. For example, did you know that in countries around the Caspian Sea, they celebrate the first day of Spring with the holiday Nowruz? It's a lovely celebration that involves a table set with the 7 S's (items beginning with the letter S in the Persian language). Or perhaps you already know that Japanese people eat with chopsticks, but wouldn't you like to learn proper chopstick etiquette?
Beyond learning about another language and culture, your student and your family can also develop important life skills through the hosting experience. You'll learn new ways to communicate, how to be flexible and adaptable, and how to see the world through someone else's eyes (empathy).
3. Be patriotic
That's right, average citizen, even you have a role to play in America's foreign relations. By forming enduring ties with people from other countries, you are participating in the important work of public diplomacy, which is the realm of international affairs that happens on an interpersonal rather than inter-governmental level. If you've shared pancakes with someone on a cozy Saturday morning, the theory goes, you're less likely to want to go to war with that person's country. I mean, in a nutshell. Public diplomacy is more that pancakes, but you get the idea. Plus, who knows, that kid you're making pancakes for might become a member of parliament in his country some day!
You can also share with the student you host all the great things about our country, like our spirit of volunteerism, the power of civil society, and the effectiveness of grass-roots efforts to make a difference. These might seem like obvious concepts to you, but in some parts of the world, these ideas are pretty novel.
Are you pumped up and ready to host??
Great! Just so you know, most organizations have hosting opportunities for all types of families - single people, married, with kids, no kids, urban, suburban, rural, etc.
- CSIET - the accrediting body for youth exchange programs, they provide a search for all programs available in your area
- C2C - a program of the US State Department to connect host families to their amazingly awesome scholarship students from less popular exchange countries like Tanzania and the Republic of Georgia
- World Affairs Council - is hosting an adult more your speed? Check out the International Visitor Leadership Program with your local WAC.
Who knows, maybe you'll wind up with a cute magnet like this as a present from your visitor! :)
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