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Host Family Description
There is no definition of a good host family. Coming in all shapes and sizes, host families vary greatly. Do not discount yourself because of your current situation. Given the right circumstances, glance over the following list and see who has been a successful host family in the past.
Marital Status, Age, Children, Pets,
Accommodations, Income, Location, Ethnicity, Gender, Travel
Marital
Status:
Married, divorced, single, widowed. We are married. Stability is the major concern.
Retired, newly married, middle aged. We were married in June of 1992. We are both school teachers and our birth years were 1962 and 1963. Understanding of teenagers is of primary importance concerning age. (pictures of us)
Can range from none to several. We currently have none. The concern is that the exchange student not have to share a bedroom with an infant or a child of the opposite gender.
Can range from none to having a menagerie. We currently have 2 dogs, Holly and Princess (half pit-bull and half blue tick), and one cat, Evinrude. Beware of students with allergies. In general, if you have pets, they should be well behaved. Our cat (can't seem to find a picture of him--it, I mean!) and our dogs are very well behaved. We did have to get rid of one cat because he used Maren's bed for his litter box before she came.
Potential host parents may live in an apartment, condominium, a modest home, or a mansion. We began hosting two exchange students in an antique cape home (1855) in Maine with 3 bedrooms and one bath. In 1996 we moved to a larger home across town (approximately 2 1/2 times larger) to an old Victorian home we restored which was built in 1896. In addition to 4 bedrooms, a bath, and other standard rooms, it has a dining room, music room, pantry, and recreation room (in our cellar). Our other home in Northern Maine is quite small (4 rooms)--more like a camp. The general rule of thumb is that the student have a room of their own, or if they share a bedroom they should have available space somewhere to be alone if desired.
Our first hosting home was quite small (the 1855 antique cape). We managed, however, because we discovered that most Europeans live in what we would consider apartments or condominiums. If they own their own home, they are usually considered to be very wealthy. Our present home (1896 Victorian--click here to see our present home) was a refreshing move, however it did not go without problems. It still isn't finished, but we managed to get 3 of our 7 pump organs upstairs before we gave up. Finally, the square grand piano (ca. 1870) fit in our music room! Our northern vacation home, on the bank of the Little Madawaska River, is quite small (as mentioned above), but it heats well and provides a nice vacation escape.
Our joint income is roughly in the middle class. Your income is relative depending on the cost of living in your geographical area. You will not make money hosting an exchange student, however the U.S. government currently does allow a $50.00 per month/per student tax deduction if you itemize your deductions. It is generally best to host an exchange student of like or less income than your own.
We currently live in a city of approximately 40,000 people. Some students prefer larger cities and some prefer smaller. However, many exchange organizations are reluctant to place students in larger cities because of the potential problems a student might experience there. Some students prefer urban areas and some prefer rural.
We are both Caucasian, but have hosted students and guests of at least 3 non-Caucasian races. Racial barriers are much less prevalent in some other cultures. Americans are more likely to have problems with mixed-race hosting than the exchange student will.
We have hosted both male and female exchange students, however, mixed-gender hosting (i.e. single female parent/male student or male/female students) is generally discouraged because in many other cultures their teenagers are much more sexually aware and active.
Some students will expect to travel, however, not all families can provide that opportunity. Many students come to America expecting to travel while others do not. Currently, we plan to take them on 3 moderate to long trips per year.
Trip 1 - To Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (4 hours drive away). Le Chateau de Frontenac, Quebec City, Canada.
Trip 2 - To New York City for a Broadway show and sightseeing, Washington, DC and Luray Caverns, VA or somewhere else in the Southeast. Luray Caverns, and Washington, DC,
Trip 3 - To Niagara Falls, NY and perhaps Ohio or Illinois. Niagara Falls, NY,
We feel these trips give the students a better overall feel for Americans and what America is truly about. Remember: Gasoline prices are much higher in other countries and people there travel much less by automobile. If they must travel, they go by train, bus or some other mode of transportation. Many students will not be used to long trips. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know them personally and perhaps take a friend or two along. Students are expected to help out with their share of meals, hotel, and other incidental expenses.
