Have You Ever Hosted A Foreign Exchange Student? How Did It Go?

[manning]

The high school is within walking distance, and failing that they could take the bus.

I'm not concerned with them wanting to borrow my car. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole legal-driving-age-is-16 thing mostly limited to the Americas (viz, USA, Mexico, Canada, and so on)?

Be sure she/he is not from England. They drive on the wrong side of the road

 

[Kerry Ferguson]

We host over 300 exchange age students in the UK every year. For teens travelling abroad from the USA it is a very popular thing to do. In England it is hard to get our teens to travel abroad, so we do have families that have lots of teens around. We love hosting American teens in the UK because we find you are a breath of fresh air in our homes. USA teens seem more alive than British teens and you inspire our teens to open their minds to the world and live their dreams. Maybe your dream can still happen Study Abroad UK has one free place left for September or maybe one day you can welcome an overseas teen in your home who knows

Kerry Ferguson
Host Family Expert for Study Abroad UK
Southampton- England

 

[Celestineforever]

I really feel it for of you who have had horrible experience. We have resently hosted a french girl. Very young. What a nightmare it was ! We are in australia. But we do understand she was away from home, everything new and scary, but we got along very well, it was until she had to stay with another family because we werent allow to have her with us due to paper work, once it all got seattle she gave us the run around. She didnt want to be here, so this family as well cause nothing but trouble. They ran and said to us, she is going to stay here. WE thought hold on, she is staying here, I thought that wasnt allow for the family to choose this but through the agency. She lied to us and stayed with the other family, after we went through the trouble of picking her up from the airport, arrange for the school to have her, and arrange for other things. We spent a lot in petrol and other things that will never be refunded to us, but then again money is not so important to us, but the emotions and feelings we put to play here. We felt very angry and abused by both, exchange student agency, parents and herself. My five year old who was so excited to have her here cried so long that I had to take a long time to put him to sleep after he learned she was not staying here. What a nightmare I tell you. I dont think she was very impressed with australia, the town where she stayed, I spoke and talk to her about things and she wasnt interested in nothing I said. She was very rude. She played with our emotions , and to tell you the truth Im not sure that we will rush in doing it for a while.

 

[Kerry Ferguson]

We have lots of host families in the UK who have teenagers. We also have one more free scholarship place for our UK High School Exchange programme starting in September 2019. Its not to late to apply either. I remember my first exchange student, he was a boy from the USA called Andy. He came to stay with my from Detroit. I had never heard of Gatorade and this is what he missed the most from back home. Andy really loved the Beatles, he was a British 60's enthusiast, he wore vintage clothes and back home he drove a British mini. We took him to see the famous places The Beatles had been I imagine he still has the photos too. He was a cheerful chappie. When he came he had all these gadgets to control Asthma. But, since in the UK you tend to walk to school within 8 weeks his Asthma had gone and he no longer needed his medication. Yes, I have to say that hosting a foreign student is a great experience for the family as much as it is for the exchange students

Kerry Ferguson
Host Family Expert for Study Abroad UK