What You Should And Shouldn't Do As A Host Family | Exchange Student Tips

What You Should And Shouldn't Do As A Host Family | Exchange Student Tips | How To Host |

Рет қаралды 10,945

Күн бұрын

Hey guys,
today I have a video primarily targeted at host families or such families that are thinking about becoming a host family in the future. However, I do believe that it could be useful for exchange students to watch this video as well to view the study abroad experience from the opposite side. I am giving you all of my advice and tips on how to make the study abroad experience the best for you as a host family and your exchange student. Hosting a student is such an amazing experience, however, there are some things you need to know. By giving my perspective as a former exchange student in the United States, I am hoping to help you out in creating this unforgettable experience.
If you have any sort of questions at all or topics you would like me to talk about in more detail, please do not hesitate to leave them down in the comments below.
As always lots of love,
Laura

Пікірлер: 38

@joecaccamise5926 2 жыл бұрын

Laura thank for taking the time to point out these important facts. I wish every potential host family could view your insightful video.

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!!!

@meilynrecker6382 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Laura , thank you for this video. My family is hosting an exchange student from Germany in less than a month. We are all very excited and she is my age (teenage). This is very helpful so thank you

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

That sounds so cool! I am sure you will have a great time. I was a host sister once and it was such a special experience

@isabelle3381 2 жыл бұрын

me too but in two months

@janakitts5791 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing these videos. We will welcome our very own Laura to our home in less than a month and we are also a Texas family. I'm grateful to have gained a lot of wisdom from friends who have already hosted but these videos are great reminders for things she's told us. We can't wait to meet our student and let her truly be part of our family.

@wherearethebonnets_7190 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve been enjoying watching your videos as our family is considering hosting for the third time, but it’s been awhile. I wanted to share an experience I had with one of our kids (students). It was nearing the end of the school year and we were discussing a farewell party that another exchange student friend was having. I asked if he’d like to have one as well, he said sure. As we are talking about it I can tell he’s becoming uneasy. Come to find out, he didn’t want to disappoint me, but he also didn’t want to have his own party. 😅 we had a laugh about it and moved on. Crossed wires in communication are sure to happen.

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

Definitely! Hosting an exchange student can be difficult when it comes to communication due to cultural differences but also because in any rather new relationship you never want to disappoint the other person. I still think it's great thought that you offered to throw them a party. Another individual might have felt left out had you not suggested it. And also a great compliment to you for noticing them feeling uneasy. It's always great to try and be as observing as possible with the signals they give you even if they're too shy to tell you right away

@amyk.p.4953 8 ай бұрын

It sucks to be the last one left behind BUT....I am curious why she didn't have another student bring her home or the host family didn't introduce them to a friend's kid or something so they could form friendships (and then that friend's kid could bring her home)? Seems like a pretty simple thing to do so at least you wouldn't have to sit there for so long. But sitting there waiting is the norm for a lot of kids (even elementary age) because of the afternoon ending time and parents not getting out of work right away. A lot of our elementary age are picked up by their high school siblings until this year when schools changed the ending times and now elementary get out earlier so not even their high school siblings can cover until their parents get off work. Those that are close by walk home alone, those that are not close by and cannot ride the bus are taken home to an empty house by a friend's parent, and so on.

@morganharris2413 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. We are looking to host for the first time next year

@pjoxeditss 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this information! My family is hosting a girl from Switzerland in February and I am very excited!!

@heatherpoppell8271 Жыл бұрын

Hi Laura! I am a host mom and will be having my 3rs student coming in January. Last year was my first full year student and we just love her like our own daughter. You are right when you say not everything is amazing. There are some tough situations just like having your own children.

@esther_6 Жыл бұрын

My exchange student is coming in exactly a week. So excited.

@dejavu666wampas9 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, you are really a mature, thoughtful, young lady. You have an amazing ability to analyze life and all its issues. I just watched your 10 things you learned as an exchange student. Awesome. Also, I wish I could speak German as well as you speak English.

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Language learning is a very long (or forever ungoing) process. I still have days where it's better and days where its worse but over the years knowing English has afforded me so many opportunities and friendships. It's something that keeps me motivated. It's the most beautiful thing to communicate with people all around the world

@paperkid73 10 ай бұрын

Loved this video! The student we’re hosting is only visiting for a week, any tips for making them comfy for this short time?

@abby4447 Жыл бұрын

i have a student coming from japan in almost a week! so exiting

@katlizski 2 жыл бұрын

❤️❤️ love you Laura and your videos.

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

You're the best! Thanks for all the love and support

@davidlorang7697 Жыл бұрын

We are about to Host an exchange student from France. (First time hosting). I will be honest our family is super excited and on board, but also a bit nervous. We really don’t want to disappoint them. Your video is helping to give techniques and information to help through some potentially difficult times. How would you approach a student to see how they are feeling?

@honey27003 Жыл бұрын

Hi David! First of all, thank you so much for sharing your home with one of us exchange students! I would say just create a comfortable atmosphere. Let them know right away that they can always come and talk to you if anything is bothering them. You could institutionalize something like a review session after the first month. Generally speaking it also helps to lead by example: if your family practices sharing feelings, your student is likely to feel comfortable to do so as well. But don't make the mistake of projecting their negative feelings onto yourself. Remember your student will feel very overwhelmed, scared and lonely at the start once the initial excitement wears off. They have just left their home and all of their loved ones. It is a normal reaction and not at all your fault. So don't get down about the fact that they will have difficult moments. It's all part of the process. When we hosted our student, she would need a lot of time alone and often cried in the beginning even though she loved our family. It's just a crazy situation to be in and it takes time getting used to. I would like to film more videos for host families soon so please let me know all of your questions! You'll do great!

@cassiemorris458 2 жыл бұрын

This was so helpful!

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

I am so glad to hear that. Please always let me know if there are any specific things I should talk about to help you out further

@sadeq6904 Жыл бұрын

Hello Laura, although I did not understand very well what the host family is, but I want to study in America and I am from Iraq and I cannot get a visa. Is the host family able to withdraw me to continue studying with them? What sites do you recommend to get a host family?

@IronFreee Жыл бұрын

It works in both ways, the exchange student also have to understand that an exchange family is not a cheap hotel. I never hosted anyone as an "exchange family", but I did as a free couch surfing host. And you give the people you host a lot: food, comfort, trust and all you expect is to spend some time with them to know them and introduce them to some aspects of the local culture you like for free. But unfortunately some of them are so dumb or just plain A-holes that you end doing it. I still remember when I invited that Swedish idiot to a restaurant with a friend of mine and he started insulting the waitress for no reason before leaving without a word. He came back at 2 AM begging to let him sleep inside :D I let him in but he was the last one.

@nanneli Ай бұрын

Exactly.

@badujabar9410 2 жыл бұрын

Any topic about Germany( culture, history, food, Do's & Don'ts , sports, people, languages, habits, mannerism, commun courtesies....) would be much appreciated & helpful to future travelers to Germany. & anyone watching out of curiosity.

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea! I think I might make a What You Need to Know About Germany series. Thank you so much for the suggestions!

@thesquid6149 Жыл бұрын

Thank u 😍

@balancedactguy 2 жыл бұрын

Sehr gute Auskunft Laura! Hoffentlich werden viele zukünftige Hostfamilien ihr Video sehen und nützlich finden.!! Also,...Frueher haben Sie mir geschrieben dass Sie jetzt in England Englisch und Poilitischewissenschaft studieren. Darf Ich ihnen fragen was Sie mit diesen Faeche zu tun möchten? Oft hier in Amerika wenn Studenten diese Faeche studieren, plannen sie Rechtsanwalt to werden. Ist das ihr Plan?..... eines Tages Rechtsanwalt zu werden? Tschüss!

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

Hi! Leider kann man in Deutschland nicht Rechtsanwalt werden wenn man Politikwissenschaften studiert. Das geht nur mit Jura. Aber ich würde gerne in der internationalen Politik oder in internationalen Firmen arbeiten

@balancedactguy 2 жыл бұрын

@@honey27003 Ach so!! Ich Hoffe das Sie eines Tages Chancellor von Deutschland werden!! 😄

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

@@balancedactguy Das wäre mir eine große Ehre

@balancedactguy 2 жыл бұрын

@@honey27003 Oh Doch...ABER vielleicht könnten Sie hier in America Rechtsanwalt werden...und für (oder mit) Amerikanische und Deutsche Firma abrieten weil Sie Deutsch und Englisch so gut sprechen!! Das ist möglich und eine grosse Gelegenheit eine wichtige Position hier in Amerika zu bekommen!!☺

@honey27003 2 жыл бұрын

@@balancedactguy Eine sehr gute Idee! Danke!