International Experience

Add a little GERMAN to your family! WHY? We’re glad you asked!

#1 – LEARN how to make a truly fantastic schnitzel! (Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!)

#2 – EXPAND your vocabulary!   Before you know it, you’ll be greeting friends with “Gutan tag!” and asking them to check out your brand new Lederhosen! (I’d say that’s pretty wunderbar!) Just watch out for false cognates! (Did you know you should NEVER give a “Gift” to a German – because in German, “gift” actually means “poison”!!)

#3 – REDISCOVER the magic! If your excitement for your hometown has fizzled, just wait til you get to play tour guide to a student from halfway around the world. As they light up with every hokey tradition and neighborhood Taco Bell, you’ll start to see your life through their eyes and you’ll remember: even the mundane is actually SPECTACULAR.

 

#4 – LAUGH! Integrating isn’t always easy, so you can be assured you’ll be at the forefront of some brilliant inside jokes and hilarious snafus. 🙂

#5 – GROW! Your student will be experiencing personal growth like crazy, but YOU may find you emerge from the experience as a better person too! Hosting = free personal development, with a huge side of FUN.

# 6 – GIVE a gift worth giving! Did you know that students plan for years before finally stepping on a plane to come to America? WHAT on earth are they dreaming they’ll find when they land? With any luck at all, they’ll find YOU!

#7 – GAIN a friend for life! (We’re not kidding!) We love hearing story after story of the life-long bonds formed during exchange. But don’t take our word for it when you can listen to our host families!

 

What do you think? Ready to HOST A GERMAN?

Begin your journey at IE-USA.org!

What does hosting an exchange student REALLY look like?

You might be surprised to find that IE students don’t need a lot of possessions, excursions, or special treatment. What DO they need? They need YOU! A warm, supportive “home away from home.” A place where they feel safe. A place where they can be goofy. A place where they can celebrate good days and persevere through hard days.

A place to call HOME.

“We were surprised to find how much we loved sharing our daily lives with a student, and it made us appreciate the little things so much more!” – Dan from Michigan

Are you ready to share your world?

Check out this video featuring REAL students and families! This is what it’s all about!

 

 

Expecting an exchange student? You might be feeling the normal “pre-arrival jitters” as you anticipate the beginning of this adventure!

But no matter how long you’ve been preparing, your student has been imagining this moment for far longer! After months of preparation, they have finally made the journey away from family and friends and have landed in their new hometown. As they get off the plane, they will be experiencing many different things— they are excited, exhausted, emotional, and incredibly nervous. They wonder, “What kind of new life awaits me?” You can help set a positive tone on your student’s arrival day by following these tips:

• Plan a modest “welcome party” at the airport. Make a sign with the student’s name on it, and/or plan to bring balloons, flowers, or something else that tells the  student, “We’re happy you’re here!”
• Don’t leave the student alone on the first day. While  he or she may need some time to rest or unpack, don’t  drop them off at home and then leave them alone in  the house. Your presence will help them feel wanted  and secure.
• Ignore your first impressions, as they will likely be wrong! Your student has just been catapulted out of his or her comfort zone and into your family life. There are a host of reasons why he or she might not quite be “themselves.” Try not to place any expectations on  the first days.
• Remember that English is not your student’s native language. Be resourceful, and use Google translate or another translator if necessary.
• Avoid going over “house rules” on the first day. Start with a tour of the home, making sure they know how to use things like the shower. Other house rules should wait until they are rested.
• Get outside! Fresh air is welcome medicine for a student who has been on a plane or in airports for the last 9+ hours. Consider taking a walk downtown for ice cream, or having a slice of cake together on your porch or deck. These small, comforting gestures matter more than  you know!

 

What do you do when you can’t decide who to host? You host TWO students! We asked the Robbins family to tell us about their year hosting a boy from Germany and a girl from China, and we just had to share it with you! It is stories like these that fuel our passion!

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My name is Kreena Robbins and I am married with 2 kids. My 16 year old son Mason lives at home, and my 19 year old daughter Dakota moved to LA to go to school.

I learned about International Experience while talking with a friend who was super excited because she just found out she was going to have a girl from Germany coming for the school year. I immediately wanted to learn more! I wanted a girl to fill the void left by my daughter, and it helped that we had a readily available teenage girl’s room! However my son wanted to have “the brother he never had.”

After hearing we were able to host TWO kids, we decided: WHY NOT!

We got connected with Lukas from Germany and Izzy from China. We immediately started getting another room ready and were very anxious to meet them!  I started reaching out to them so our first “hello” wouldn’t be hard.  I felt like I knew them before I even saw them.

I was never more excited!!!

I knew I was going to give them an experience of a lifetime, but I never imagined the experience I was in for!

On a daily basis, we compared our different cultures and continents.  We would pick a word and learn it in German, Chinese, Spanish & French. We all cooked for each other, learning about the different foods. Izzy, who was an only child, now quickly had 2 brothers and a distant sister. We all grew quickly into a family.

Holidays were even more exciting! Americans tend to go crazy with holidays, but I went to the extreme.  Our month of December was one huge Advent Calendar. Every morning there was a bag to open with an American Christmas tradition that we had to experience that day or night after school. Christmas caroling, gingerbread houses, watching Christmas movies, donating time ringing the Salvation Army bell, horse & carriage ride, cutting down a Christmas tree at Williams Tree Farm, wearing our PJs in the car while driving around looking at Christmas lights, and the list goes on and on.  Every day from December 1st until Christmas morning was a rush to see who gets to open the next bag!

I will never forget that month, nor will I ever have a more meaningful Christmas again in my lifetime!

I truly fell in love with these kids and they will always be a part of my life, but one thing I was not prepared for was having to say goodbye.  I think about them every day.

My words of advice for all those looking to be a host: DO IT! it truly is an experience of a lifetime.

Think of this child coming into your home as your own child. Imagine sending your son or daughter over to foreign country to live with a family they have never met, and treat them like you would want a family to treat your child.

My family grew from 2 kids to 4 this school year….and for that, I am forever grateful!

Q: What IS a “double placement?”

Just what it sounds like: hosting two students at the same time!

Q: How can I tell if a double placement might be right for my family?

Anybody can host a double placement! We’ve found that many host families choose a double placement for one of the following reasons:

• Single adults or couples without children enjoy the “instant family” dynamic
• Empty-nesters enjoy filling their homes with children again
• Hosts with two children (example: 1 boy and 1 girl) enjoy “doubling” their family by allowing each child to choose 1 host sibling
• Families with large homes love putting the space to good use!

Q: Are there any special requirements for double placements?

The students must come from countries that do not share the same native language. (Example: You may host a student from Germany and a student from Spain, but you may NOT host a student from Germany and a student from Switzerland, since both students speak German.)

Q: If I host two students, does each student need his/her own bedroom?

NO. Students may share a bedroom, but they do need to have their own bed.

Q: What are some advantages of hosting a double placement?

Our host families who choose double placements have shared many advantages with us! Here are just a few:

• Students have a host sibling even when there are no other children in the host family
• Students can keep one another entertained after school or during hours when the host parents are unavailable
• Students can “lock arms” and tackle the new school experience together

Q: Won’t it be more difficult to have two students in the home instead of just one?

While it’s true that a double placement will come with 2 sets of plans and priorities, most families find that the benefits outweigh the added logistical concerns. Students often learn to share rides and work together when coordinating activities.

Q: I think I’d like to host a double placement, but I’m not sure it’s right for me. Who can help me figure this out?

Drop a question in the comments below! We’ll help you sort it out so you can decide what’s best for you.

How will YOU celebrate our great nation this 4th of July? Did you know that there there are many iE students still awaiting a host home? These young men and women dream of the opportunity to soak up American culture – to shadow YOU and see what life is like in your shoes! This year, why not share YOUR America with an exchange student!

In a recent poll, iE host parents all seem to agree: the best part of hosting a student is helping them discover everything there is to love about our country!

“I love seeing the excitement when they do something that they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do at home.”  – Tina Nolan

“We loved watching him eat a Twinkie for the first time!” – Terrence McFadden

“It’s fun to introduce our student to new experiences and extended family!  Seeing things through his eyes made us appreciate them in a different way.”  – Pamela Anderson

“The best memories are from traveling together as a family, showing our student cities like Charleston, Chicago, Boston, D.C., and Disney.  Watching our student grow as a young adult was truly amazing!” – Jocelyn Griner

“We loved teaching our student games of any type.  Family game night was a hit!” – Andrea Steffes

“We had so much fun spending Christmas with our student and sharing our customs.” – Melissa Nelson

“There’s something so special about touring parts of the country with someone who is new to the experience and who truly enjoys and appreciates it.”  – Marti Walstrom

“Sharing our home, our lifestyle and our chemistry as a family was rewarding for us. Showing him our culture, our church, our community and our region gave us great pride and joy.” – David Nelson

What will YOUR favorite memory be? Start the journey at iE-USA.org!

 

 

 

 

What makes a family decide to host a student? And…what makes that family decide to host again? We talked to two iE families to find out! (They have hosted 28 students between them! Wow!)

We interviewed Glen and Donna Blazer of Tennessee. The Blazers have hosted an impressive total of 21 students from 14 different countries! We wanted to know…what makes you keep going? Here’s what they had to share:

Why did you first start hosting?

We hosted when my daughter was 8, and she always wanted to host again during her senior year. In 2005, both my son and daughter were killed in a car accident. I decided to host two students – a boy and a girl – in honor of their memory. Those students brought blessing to our house. They got me through some hard times.

What inspires you to host year after year?

We see how much it helps them. You see them mature so much in that year, and we are a part of that.

What advice would you give other host families?

Communication is key. Make sure your students understand what you expect up front.

 

Karl and Mary Fox in Michigan have also found joy in hosting multiple times. In fact, this impressive couple has hosted 7 girls over consecutive years! They shared their insights from these experiences and encouraged others to open their hearts and homes as well.

What would you say to others considering hosting?

Don’t be afraid of it – embrace it. Open your heart.

What advice would you give current hosts?

Use your coordinator. They can help you come up with better solutions.

Do you have a favorite memory?

My best memory was of a German girl, Vivian. She took pictures all year. I don’t care what you looked like, what you were doing, she was taking pictures of it! Before she left, she hid pictures around the house. So we would open a drawer, and there’d be a picture; we’d take out a towel, and there was another picture! It was a sweet way for her to say goodbye.

What do you think you have gained as a host parent?

What they give you is so much more than what you give them. They’re so loving and so ready to be part of your family. Every time you turn around, they’re giving you something – attention, participation, when they see you at school running up and giving you a hug.

Charlotte Powell and her teenage daughters – Kiah (17) and Hailey (16) – opened their home to two exchange students in 2014/15. Lisa from Germany and “First” from Thailand slid right into life with the Powells, but Charlotte shared that true assimilation was never her goal. Instead, they learned to cherish each girls’ unique qualities and to see life through her eyes.

“We have learned so much about what it means to be human since being a host family.  People really are basically the same, and it’s our differences that make us interesting.  I loved learning about their cultures and traditions, and sharing mine made me remember why they were important to me in the first place! Life became something to notice again instead of being routine.  When you have to explain so much of what you do to someone else, you are given the chance to see it again like it’s the first time, and that is precious. We were careful to show the girls the American way we live, but to never expect them to assimilate.  We appreciated their differences and asked as many questions as we could to learn about them.”

The Powell family will be hosting another young lady from Montenegro in the fall of 2016, and they are already so excited to learn about a whole new place.

“It’s almost like adopting another child.  From the moment they arrive they are a part of our family and when they go back home to their countries, we cry and remind them they always have a home with us.”

It’s a phenomenon we see time and again in student exchange: while selflessly giving of their homes and hearts, a host family will often gain just as much as they give.