Abstract
Determining the level of effectiveness in exchange programs has become increasingly more important to evaluators. Likewise, bilateral connectivity between the host country’s people & institutions and the exchange student have benefitted from recent recommendations of comprehensive evaluations. However, the homestay family factor of the exchange experience lags in this area. In that regard, exchange programs could improve significantly from a broader and deeper understanding of the homestay experience, as seen from the host’s perspective. In fact, citizen diplomacy is alive and active in the host’s homes. People to people contact in these intimate settings can form attitudes, sentiments, and emotional attachments that should be measured as a mode to improve citizen diplomacy practices. From the aptitude of the host family to their level of community engagement, several elements are key to an ambiance where the exchange student can better adapt, learn, interact, feel, think, express ideas, learn about customs and community, familiarize with the language, and overall enhance their experience, hence their opinion about their host country.
Highlights
Q18: What benefits do you think you would extract from hosting an exchange student?
Cultural enrichment for the exchange student (4), being ambassadors of sorts (6), teaching them our American life (7), sharing with the international community (9), granting them an opportunity to see the beauty of our state (11), cultural understanding and appreciation of both parties (13), or fostering a life-long connection (17)
Personal Feedback on Student Exchange Program: We had an exchange student from Germany who was welcomed into the family with open arms
Summary
I would consider our family to be steadfast, loving, really loved doing it. The students were always caring and supportive. I enjoyed cooking for them, taking them family to be somewhat personality eclectic. Everyone is so different and we definitely have 17. Who knows perhaps you can make a lifelong differing views. Our approaches to communication connection with this person and by doing so, that and conflict resolutions can vary. We are a typical hard-working blue-collar family
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