Hosting Short-Term Exchangee

Yume Rudzinski (yume@a226.com) coordinates our District's Short-Term Youth Exchange Program.

We are always eager to discuss our short term youth exchange with qualified participants. All of our short term exchanges are reciprocal; that is, to host short term, you must have a student participating in our Short Term Outbound Exchange program. If you are only able to host, please consider hosting for 3 or 4 months though our Long Term Inbound Exchange Program. Potential host families will be interviewed by representatives of the host Rotary Club as part of the selection process, to help assure a rewarding experience for the exchange student and for the host family.

Hosting a Short Term Rotary Youth Exchange Student can be a very rewarding experience. Involvement with an Exchange Student challenges a host family to become familiar with another culture, while providing the opportunity to share a young student's hopes and ambitions. The challenges and opportunities promise to enrich the lives of every member of your family, especially your student who will spend most of the summer with them, both here and abroad. This is an opportunity to make a personal contribution to advancing world understanding while expanding your own horizons and those of your family. And it is a chance for your entire family to build a relationship with someone special, someone will be a part of your life for a long time to come.

Having children of your own, you can appreciate the responsibility that comes with hosting a Youth Exchange Student. You will be expected to provide parental guidance and supervision for the student, as well as room and board, during their stay in your home. Simply put, you will be providing the same parental support that you would expect for you own child while they are on the reciprocal part of the exchange.

What types of families open their doors to Rotary Youth Exchange? All types of Rotarian and non-Rotarian families. All it takes is the willingness to care and a heart that is ready for a touch of adventure.

While Rotary International offers support to local Rotary Youth Exchange programs through publications and suggested guidelines, each Rotary District and Rotary Club operates the program independently of Rotary International. Therefore, each District will have its own specific rules for students to follow. Students accepted into the program sign and agree to abide by a list of program rules prior to their departure from home. While the student's hosting Rotary Club will discuss all program rules with both you and the student, you may wish to review the program rules with the student yourself to be sure that everyone has a clear understanding of what is expected. Program rules consist of common-sense stipulations, such as no driving of motor vehicles, and the need to obtain special permission for international travel while on the exchange. In addition, romantic entanglements are discouraged (although companionship in accordance with cultural standards in the host county is encouraged).

What Does It Take?

A heart large enough to share a portion with a child from another country
A mind open to the different life and culture that the student will bring with him or her; open to accepting him or her for his or her differences and not only for the common humanity
Time to share with the student
A share of laughter and gaiety to shrink the inevitable minor problems which always arise and to strengthen the bonds of communication

Just as there is no perfect exchange student, there is no perfect host home. Each young person who comes to us from abroad is an individual; each family is unique. But just as there are certain criteria which make it more likely that a student will be a good exchange student, there are certain criteria which make a family more likely to provide an unenjoyable and beneficial experience for the student.

Warmth: an easy affection within the family and respect for all members by each other
Breadth of interests: a real curiosity about things outside the home - not necessarily busy or extremely intellectual, for many students will fit into a more quiet and simple atmosphere better
Flexibility: the family must be secure and confident enough to be able to adapt their rules to make for room for individuals
Humor: a laugh often brings perspective to a problem that might otherwise appear to assume undue proportions
Motivation: the family must be realistic about why they want to host an Exchange Student in their home; not because they think it is something they should do; not as a solution to the family's own domestic problems; not out of desire for prestige or social acceptance - all members of the host family must want to participate; one uncooperative family member can make for an unhappy experience for all involved
Health: if there is a serious emotional or physical problem in the family, the extra strain of adjusting to a guest can make for a difficult situation
Expenses: the family need not be wealthy, but there are certain expenses involved and the family must feel comfortable in meeting those expenses without undue strain
Space: the student must have a bed of his or her own; if a room is to be shared, it should be with a child of the same sex and of similar age
Transportation: the student may not drive, so the family must be willing and able to provide transportation
Religion: differences in religion are rarely a problem, but the family must be prepared to respect beliefs of others and not to require participation by the exchange student in their own church or religious life
Chores: the exchange student should not be treated as a special guest - the value of the program is the acceptance by both students and hosts that the student will be one of the family and not receive any special attention - it is expected that the exchange student will perform chores as do the other children in the family

If you have any questions, please e-mail Yume Rudzinski at yume@a226.com