Families Cite Learning Experience and Enhancing Family Life as Two Top Benefits of Hosting
Curious about how your family might benefit from hosting an AFS exchange student?
Recently, more than 900 families were randomly surveyed by CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) about the benefits they received through hosting exchange students. CSIET is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring safety and quality in the international youth exchange industry.
More than 500 families said it was a learning experience not only culturally, but also socially. More than 300 families reported that it was beneficial in terms of enhancing their own families, such as providing them with extended families, and promoting interaction and mutual respect as a family. Having a cultural experience ranked as their third largest benefit, including cultural interaction and exposure to other cultures and customs.
Before deciding to host, families surveyed felt that ‘the cultural experience’ was a reason to want to host, plus many mentioned that they felt it would be something they could do that would benefit their own children. “Having never hosted before, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said one host mom who welcomed her student in 2007. “Plus, I had two teenagers already and was a single mom. Bringing a new family member into our lives made many of the simple things we took for granted stand out. It brought us all closer together in ways that we never would have otherwise. I’m particularly thankful for that because my son is going off to college next year.”
For more survey results, download the CSIET Hosting Satisfaction Study (.pdf) or the CSIET website.
