How to be a Good Host Family for a Foreign Exchange Student

My Junior College daughter is hosting a foreign exchange student from Taiwan for 13 days.
That means the rest of the family at home automatically become the host family!
Being a first-time host family, I searched and scoured for tips on how to be a good one.

So here’s How to be a Good Host Family for a Foreign Exchange Student.

1. Provide safe secure and welcoming place to live.
2. Provide a room or at least a bed.
3. Provide a study space and stationaries.
4. Provide internet access for student to contact home.
5. Provide transport and food.
6. Ask about allergies or dietary restrictions.
7. Ask about birthdays and other special events. Celebrate!
8. Offer meals that represent your culture and tradition.
9. You may suggest student to cook their food for your family.
10. Provide support, guidance and encouragement.
11. Represent your country and your culture.
12. Help them learn about local customs and laws.
13. Provide opportunity for student to learn your language.
14. Encourage student to share their experience and culture.
15. Ask the student how he/she would like to be called.
16. Find our how he/she would call you in their culture.
17. Let student know your home rules that your kids follow.
18. Bring student along on your daily routine, like going to the market.
19. Get student involved in local sports and activities.
20. Show your student around your hometown and community.
21. Encourage student to ask you questions about anything.
22. Be patient when speaking with student of a different language.
23. Treat student as part of your family and not just a visitor.
24. Let student do some of your household chores.
25. Don’t do any big activities the first and second day. Let them adjust.
26. Mediate on signs of quietness, not socialising and unhappiness.
27. Be ready to deal with teenage issues and crisis.
28. Take over the parenting role from the student’s natural parent.

Source:

• http://www.wikihow.com/Host-an-Exchange-Student
• https://onelifelog.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/advice-for-the-host-family/
• http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/814966/why-your-family-should-host-a-foreign-exchange-student-1

Happy hosting to us!

Adrian Lee
http://adrianvideoimage.com/