Ever hosted a foreign exchange student?

I have not personally had one in my house but in high school I had a friend that was an exchange student and I know it was very rewarding for both her host family and her. I highly reccommend it.

As an adult, we have not hosted one but when I was in junior high, we hosted a teen from France. It was a wonderful experience for my entire family. She has come back to the US a number of times to visit us and we visited her in France once too.

Our exchange student was easy-going and adaptable which made her very easy to live with and allowed her to quickly blend with our family. I've heard a number of stories that weren't nearly as great (for either the student or the host family) so I'd make sure the placement agency has contingency plans or help for those scenarios.

Nevertheless, I fully intend to host a student when my children get older so they can have the same enriching experience that I did.

My family never hosted, but my husband's family did and he has great memories. His family went to visit the exchanged student's family in Spain and they were treated like royalty.

To host someone for just a month sounds easy and rewarding. What organization is looking for host families and in what area of town?

Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.

My parents hosted a foregin exchange student when I was in grade school. He was nice, and it was cool to have someone different in the house who wasn't your sister beating you up :-)

Lisa - Mom to her spunky little Scarlette