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International Students Need Place to Call HomeBy Jen Thomas - June 10, 2008
iBerkshires Staff
 | | Exchange students like Siddhant Shah and Asadullah Sohail need host families.
[Photos courtesy of Kara Lozier] |
NORTH ADAMS — In two months, students from all over the world will come to America to study in our nation's schools, to learn about a new culture and to become a part of the community.
And some of those students will call the Berkshires home.
But only one host family in all of Northern Berkshire and Southern Vermont has volunteered to care for a student for the coming school year, said Kara Lozier, the coordinator for two scholarship programs that bring exchange students to the region for 10 months every year.
"I feel like I have done absolutely everything possible to find host families," said Lozier, who has posted fliers, placed announcements in church bulletins, used social networking sites to reach out to local students, written columns for local newspapers and hosted exhibits at area events.
Originally intending to find families for 15 students, Lozier has had to scale back that number to six because of the lack of local interest.
"I kind of thought it would be easier this year, because I placed 17 last year. I didn't think it was an overly ambitious number," said Lozier.
A host parent herself, Lozier called hosting an exchange student a rewarding and life-changing event but many families don't give themselves a chance, counting out their homes for perceived faults.
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Siddhant, Asadullah and Anya, from Ukraine, pose in their prom outfits.
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"The host families are everything you can imagine. Some have no children in the home, some have younger children, some are widows, some are lesbian couples. They all work. Every family has its different strengths; they all have something to offer," said Lozier. "A lot of people think if they don't have teenagers in the home, they won't be a good family but that's not true."
Host families are expected to provide a bed for the student, three meals a day and reasonable transportation for school and other community or academic activities. They must clear a background check and have two character references.
"I think fear might be playing a big role here. You're inviting not only a complete stranger into your home but also someone from another country and a teenager, no less. But host families don't have to feel like tour guides or entertainers. We're just trying to expose our whole community to whole cultures they wouldn't normally come into contact with and these families make that happen," said Lozier.
Two students here with the scholarship programs — the Youth Exchange and Study scholarship, administered by the Program of Academic Exchange and American Councils for International Education and the Future Leaders Exchange Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department — said having the chance to participate in the program will change hundreds of lives.
"You're not just changing the lives of one person but lots of people," said Asadullah Sohail, a student from Afghanistan who is studying at Mount Anthony Union High School in Bennington, Vt. "There are a lot of stereotypes and misunderstandings and misconceptions and it causes a lot of problems. People hate you and they don't know you and we want to say that people are not different; they are the same."
"If people host students from other countries and help them to learn, when they go back, they can say that the people of the U.S. don't want to take control. They just want to help us," he said. "And students here can learn about other cultures and traditions and lifestyles."
Asad is spearheading a project to build a library in his home country, thanks to support from the Goodrich Foundation, and he said the project will further build bridges between his culture and the United States.
"Right now, I think Afghanistan and this area are connected. The library project will help thousands of people in my home city and it is clear that I will help those in Afghanistan so they will understand that people of the U.S. want to help students like me," Asad said.
Siddhant Shah, from India, said he'd had the best year of his life and urged families to allow others like him to have the opportunity to experience America.
"Everything is ready. The only thing left is to give the student a place to stay. Families should give it a try. It's not like you get a chance like this all the time," said Siddhant. "I am so thankful to the people here for being so kind. It just went like a snap and it's sad that we're going to be saying goodbye."
Lozier said hosting students not only promotes cross-cultural understanding but it also teaches the students who come to live here values like democracy and volunteerism.
"If people here want to change the world and have a great year, they should definitely host an exchange student for a year," said Asad.
"I know there are families out there. I just have to find them," said Lozier.
For more information about the scholarship programs or about hosting, contact Lozier at karalozier@yahoo.com or at 802-823-5006. |
I’ve found that some of the exchange students do come from “privileged” backgrounds. But most do not, and those who do often are not irredeemably damaged by it, LOL! Sometimes a student is a bad fit for a host family, but that’s what community coordinators are here to deal with – and Kara is great.
If you are not interested in challenging your own world view, and ideas of culture: Do. Not. Host. But if that challenge doesn’t scare you off, do consider it. Passionate about politics in an election year? Why not share it with someone from an emerging democracy? Devoted to the environment? Why not share that with someone from a country that is a recovering wasteland? Care about race or religion? Hello? Can you say “growth opportunity?” Cooking? Feed any teen boy on the planet good food and he’ll love you for eternity and might even learn a few dishes so you will bless his family as well.
If you share yourself, you share a small piece of what makes America tick, and that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Think your kids or your world would be better off learning about other places and cultures? Here is an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate your values. Talk is cheap. I actually feel sorry for kids who haven’t had an exchange student in their own home!
Best thing about hosting: seeing our own world through their eyes. Challenging? Yep, sometimes. Worth it? Absolutely!!!!
In 2007-8 the area from Arlington to Great Barrington hosted at least 20 exchange students, with 11 of those at Mount Anthony Union High School. A huge thank you to all those host parents and schools for contributing to enriching the lives of all our kids!
| | from: happy hostmom | on: 06-12-2008 |
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| We have hosted several international students the last few years, and every situation is unique. The students coming through the organizations Kara works with are highly screened, ambitious, but not necessarily priviledged. They must compete with thousands of others teens for the spaces available, and are really thrilled to be able to come to the United States. Our students, and others we have gotten to know, have been highly motivated, and they enjoy having fun, learning about the U.S. and becoming wonderful members of our family. We plan to host at least one student again this coming year. Try it, the experience will change your life, but you may not realize how much until it is time for them to leave! | | from: Vermont Host Family | on: 06-11-2008 |
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First of all I want to thank Jen Thoma for writing and publicizing this article about hosting Exchange Students s forfrom different countries, not just students but the future leaders and the ambassadors of their countries. I think these scholarships are awesome, amazing and incredible.
As we all know, a lot of stuff is going on between countries especially US and Asian countries, it is just because we do not know about each other. There are stereotypes and misunderstanding between these countries, so if we do not learn about each other and we do not accept each other how can we solve all these problems that are going on. In my idea we just can solve all these problems just with Exchange students because it is the way to solve the problems. It is a bridge to understand each other. It is bridge to connect all the world and bring the environment of brotherhood. We never can solve the problems by power and force. We need to be patient and accept each other and take action. We should not be negative also. I am an Exchange student from Afghanistan and I am from the poorest family and I have the best experience in US with my host family, community, school, teachers and everything and there are thousands of Exchange Students like me with the best experiences. I think it is not a good idea to judge everybody in the same way.
If you want to change the world in a good way so host an Exchange student. If you want to live in an environment of brotherhood and peace so host an exchange student because we all will understand each other.
One example is me. The people that I met in here they understand Afghanistan and Vermont and Afghanistan are connected to each other. I will do the same way in Afghanistan. I will teach the people in Afghanistan about US and it 's kind people. Be kind, be cool, be positive, everything will be alright,
God bless you
Asadullah from Afghanistan but now in Vt | | from: Asad | on: 06-10-2008 |
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| This is absolutely a great article. Thank you for covering this need for host families in your news paper. i think getting a clear view about the program would help host families come forward and take initiatives. | | from: Siddhant Shah | on: 06-10-2008 |
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| It is a great program in theory. However, the chidlren are sent here and stem from very priveledged homes. Our government pays them money every month, they get free school lunches, free winter clothing; paid for by our government. As a host you get the joy of having a child in home, with hopes to spread culture. However, in some cases you get children sent here because it looks good on a college app. They bring nothing into the home and you take nothing away. This program needs to have a better screenng process and be more up front with host families. IMO | | from: former host | on: 06-10-2008 |
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