Why has the choice of studying at a university in another country become so popular? The truth is that this experience offers many advantages, from the possibility of finding a good job to improving your social life.
Jason Campbell, current host dad and member of EF Exchange Student Agency and Flavia Garioni, current exchange student in Phoenix, Arizona, gave us their opinions about the benefits to study abroad and eventually propose it as an experience to the children of Thunderbird High School. “Being a host family has given us and continues to give us the opportunity to travel while remaining still, to see the scale of our values with different eyes, to take nothing for granted, to appreciate time and make good use of it,” said Jason. Living an international experience while staying at home is indeed possible. And it is not just a possibility, but a real opportunity to grow as people and as citizens aware of their role in civil society. It is really possible to experience a virtual travel experience through the different cultures of the world by opening your front door to welcome a foreign student. In fact, the year abroad not only brings benefits to the children but also to the families they host.
“Living abroad for a year involves a series of personal changes relating to the way you deal with everyday life. When you study away from home it is necessary, in fact, to roll up your sleeves to try to adapt, immediately, to the new culture and customs different from your own. All this, even if it may be a little frustrating at first, inevitably translates into personal growth and maturity. Let’s be clear, when you are an exchange student you will be able to count on reference adults and staff from Italy ready to support you in case of difficulty. However, having to deal with a language other than Italian and having to relate to new people on a daily basis is excellent for strengthening your relational skills and increasing your personal skills” said Flavia. But this is only a small part of the enormous benefits that spending a year or a semester abroad brings.
“Being a host family is an experience that everyone should try at least once in their life. It introduces you to cultures from all over the world while remaining in your own country and home, also giving some kids the chance to realize their dream of studying and living in the United States for a period of time.”
“When we thought about starting to host, we didn’t think that it would completely upset the balance of our family. You review all the values consolidated over the years, you learn that different points of view exist and that the same values have different priorities in different cultures, you learn to accept what is different,” said Bre, Jason’s wife. Usually, however, the first and main objective of these young people who leave to live abroad for a period of time is to learn the local language.
“Among the skills required for a successful working future, knowing languages is essential. Universities and employers now take it for granted that young people know English perfectly and consequently, to overcome the competition and excel in entrance tests or job interviews it is necessary to ensure that they speak this language at a very high level. Among the excellent reasons for spending a year abroad is therefore that of perfecting your language skills. Attending an American or Canadian high school will in fact give you the opportunity to meet, every day, with native speakers who will be able to give you suggestions to avoid making mistakes and improve your language level day after day. Studying abroad is also very useful if you need to obtain a language certification as, upon your return, you will be able to pass the tests of the main certifying bodies with flying colors” ,said Flavia.
But does one become a host parents?
Said Jason “All families can host exchange students, there are no restrictions. Host families could live in the city or in the countryside, have children or not, be made up of a couple or a single parent. The only fundamental requirement is interest in young people and other cultures. To become a host family it is first necessary to choose an agency you want to participate in, enter their website and follow step by step all the steps to take and the forms to fill out. Among the many and most valid agencies there are: EF, Astudy, Intercultura, WEP Italia, StudentsWorld and many others”. Flavia thought about her personal experience and how she decided to do it:
“It is certainly an experience that I recommend to everyone and that I would like to repeat during college. Being an exchange student is allowing me to experience not only American culture but also that of other exchange students like me at my school. Furthermore, this experience on the other side of the world without my real parents allows me to develop problem-solving skills and adaptability as these skills will be useful to you throughout your life and to deal with any type of situation, both good and bad.” “I personally am also having a lot of fun, my host family is made up of a young single mother and 3 very sweet children who I adore. Every day we become more and more connected. Furthermore, living here for a year allows me to make new friends with foreign kids who might be interested in doing the same program as me in my country one day. It would be great to host them with my family in Rome!”
The thing that I love the most is that living a year in America is literally like experiencing a real American movie: the high school, the football games, the cheerleading team, the extracurricular activities, the graduation, the homecoming, the prom, and thousands of other unforgettable occasions.”
