“Hosting is about laughing a lot at funny words, experiences, misinterpretations and mistakes. It’s seeing that kid experience a ton of things for the first time. It is about teaching and sharing and seeing something from a totally different perspective. It’s about fear, pride, nurturing, loving and getting so connected to someone that you feel like a part of you leaves when they get on the plane.” —J.Spel, Host Dad for Texas. Youth for Understanding (YFU) is seeking warm, loving families to host international students. You can select a young person from Brazil, Japan, Germany, Morocco or one of over 60 countries to join your family. Welcome an international exchange student into your family for the 2008-2009 school year or host as an arrival family for 6-12 weeks beginning in August. Volunteer host families help young people expand their horizons and at the same time enrich their own families and communities. Over 225,000 students from around the world have joined YFU host families. Will you join us? 5 Great Reasons to Host a YFU Student: 1. Experience a new and exciting family dynamic. Parents with an only child may want to provide the experience of a sibling relationship for their son or daughter, or families with young children may want to provide an older sibling and role model. Even “empty nesters” or younger couples without children enjoy the hosting experience. 2. Give your family a new perspective on your community. By showing your student different aspects of your community life, you’ll find yourself exploring your community and your surroundings through different eyes. Even a simple trip to the grocery store may be filled with wonder for your new exchange student. 3. Connect your family to the world. It broadens your family’s view of the world without leaving home. Hosting creates a home experience that is likely to make your children more tolerant and understanding of other cultures and peoples. It will encourage them to explore new ideas and recognize similarities and differences between our culture and others. 4. Create lifelong memories and potential relationships between your family and the student. Hosting changes forever how your family will think about their country and the world. 5. Change the world. Relationships and experiences gained through the exchange process create connections and feelings of global unity and friendship that will help promote peace and understanding for future generations.

Hosting is about sharing your version of the American lifestyle with a
new son or daughter. As a host family, you’ll give your student a caring, supporting and warm family life.

Successful host families should:
Be interested in teenagers and international students and have
realistic expectations of what life with a teenager is like.

Provide a stable family unit

Offer an emotionally supportive environment as the student goes through his or her adjustment process.

Be able to provide for an additional member of the family including a
separate bed, suitable study area, and three meals per day.

Be prepared to assist the exchange student to participate in school and
community events.

Host families have many different faces, and are all part
of the American experience. Whether or not you have
children, you can be a host family. If your family is willing
to open yourselves to new experiences, share your lives
with a fascinating teenager from a foreign land, and provide
guidance, love and support to a young person who is
beginning their journey into adulthood, then you will be a
great host family. All kinds of families make great YFU Host
Families—yours will too!

Working parents
Single parents or singles
Couples with children (of any age)
Couples without children
Adoptive parents
Empty nesters
Military families

This opportunity is sponsored by: Youth For Understanding-Northeast District

This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers

Adolescents (13-17) Individual Adults (26-54) Senior Citizens Adults (55+) Young Adults (18-25) Families

Contact Person:
Theresa Nowak, District Coordinator Of Recruitment And Development, (phone), (email)

View all agency contacts

Address:

2380 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 101 Cambridge, MA 02140 (See a map)

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Davis Square (Red Line),   Walk distance (in minutes): 10 min For maps or information, please see http://www.mbta.com

This opportunity can also be performed in these locations:

Nationwide:

Available throughout all of the US

Miscellaneous Information

Does this opportunity serve youth in After-School programs?
	No
Is this opportunity available to family volunteers? (adults and children ages 12-17)?
	Yes
Is this opportunity a highly skilled volunteer opportunity?
	No
Is this opportunity available to youth ages 12-17, unaccompanied by an adult?
	No
Would this opportunity be appropriate for corporate groups?
	Yes
Please Choose an Impact Area
	Youth (Ages 6-17)