a special opportunity

Daniel and I are excited to be hosting two international students this year! Our school has a good-sized program, bringing in 10 - 20 international students each year from all different countries. The majority of our students are from Asian countries (Japan, China, and South Korea mainly), but we have recently started attracting more students from Europe.



Daniel and I volunteered to keep two boys, one from China and one from Italy. Initially, we were a little worried about them getting along. After all, two totally different ways of life are being meshed with American culture, and then having to mesh with with another culture? It was going to be a lot. So, we came up with a game plan to try to ensure that life went as smoothly as possible for each of them, as well as for us!

Both boys were able to arrive in the US early enough to recover from jet lag before the start of school. In the beginning days, we did lots of shopping trips to make sure everyone had what they needed for school. I also tried to plan an Asian meal and an Italian meal to make them both feel a little more at home. Even the American version of their home foods is a little easier for them to enjoy than some of our American dishes.

Our game plan looked something like this:

• explain house rules in detail - this meant talking through even the littlest things like shower times, what time to be ready to go in the mornings, what time the lights go out at night, the fact that the hall light has to be turned out before bed, where dishes go after dinner, the wi-fi password, where eating is allowed to take place, TV use, etc.
• talk through cleaning responsibilities - how often rooms should be cleaned, bathroom cleaning, where cleaning supplies are kept and who needs to do which jobs. I also demonstrated how to clean, because you never know what jobs their moms have always done for them. For our boys, I specifically showed them how to lift the toilet seat and clean ;)
• laundry - each boy is responsible for his own laundry. I made sure to show them where the detergent is and how much to use in each load, along with how everything down there works. I try to always do my laundry during the week so that the boys can use the laundry over the weekend when they are less busy. This works well for us, since I stay at home, but if I were working full-time, we would probably have a scheduled out time each Saturday and Sunday for who does laundry when.
• kitchen privileges - I decided that the boys were allowed to use the kitchen, although I know many families do not allow their students to cook. Both boys have cooked a lot at home and even wanted to cook for the whole family! I didn't show them the kitchen as well as I'd planned, but over time, I made sure they knew where pots and pans go, which soap is dish soap (as opposed to hand soap), where to put wet dishes to dry, and what to use for cleaning up spills. I also asked that they let me know in advance before cooking or baking. Occasionally I still find a pot that is a little greasy, or some flour on the counter that didn't get wiped up, but over all, they have done great!
• meals - the boys eat every evening meal at the dinner table with the family. Sometimes, this has ended up being just me and one of the boys, but we always sit down together. We talk a lot about culture differences and food preferences and how school is going. I honestly think it is one of the best things for exchange students! It gives them a time to ask any questions without feeling as though they are interrupting your life. Even the shy ones are more likely to open up at meal times. Food is a great conversation starter!
• family time - Daniel and I try to do as much with the boys on Saturdays as possible. We have done cookouts, some hiking, played board games, and even played basketball and badminton. Sometimes it's optional, sometimes it's not. 

We are very privileged to have students that are easy-going, willing to try new things, and open-minded. Not every host student will be so quick to adapt, but the boys have done a great job! With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, we are trying to be a little more sensitive to their family traditions and make sure they feel as at home as possible. Holidays away from home are never easy!