| Your American Host Family
 AYA
host families are volunteers. They are not paid for hosting AYA
foreign exchange students.
AYA carefully selects host families based on their desire to host
a visiting student and ability to provide a safe, comfortable home
and positive cultural experience for you in the United States. People
of all ages and from all walks of life volunteer to serve as host
families. Grandparents, families with younger children, single-parent
families and traditional two-parent families have all hosted successfully.
Your host family will expect you to join in family activities.
They will expect you to share the privileges and responsibilities
of being a family member – as if you were a natural son or daughter.
This includes doing your share of chores around the house.
Your host family will want to learn about your country and will
want to help you understand life in America. They will be eager
to answer your questions and explain things to you when you don't
understand. Above all, they want to open their hearts and share
their homes with you, their new "son" or "daughter."
Host families are responsible for
- Providing you with a home for the academic year or semester.
- Welcoming you as a member of the family and encouraging you
to participate in all aspects of family life.
- Providing you with your own bed and place to study, either in
a room you share with a family member of the same sex and age
range, or your own room
- Providing you with meals (except lunch on school days).
- Encouraging the exchange of ideas and providing you with exposure
to the cultural and social environment of the home and neighborhood.
- Providing the love and understanding a young person needs to
enjoy a successful stay in America.
Your AYA Local Coordinator |
