Host Families Sought for Foreign Exchange Students

Announcement from AFS:

AFS Intercultural Programs/USA is looking for families in Dixon to host AFS Exchange Students arriving in the US this September. If you’ve lived in Dixon a long time, you may remember that for years Dixon welcomed international AFS students into town.

These international high school students are eager to attend a local high school, live with a host family and discover what America is all about, and students coming to Dixon still need supportive families to host them for 6-12 weeks, a semester or the year.

Host families provide a bed and meals, share their daily lives with students, and help guide and support students as they would their own children. Families and their hosted students receive ongoing support from AFS Staff and experienced, local volunteers.

Here are a couple students we think would fit in well in Dixon:

Daniel from Germany, 17, is an ambitious, organized, considerate and sincere young man. His friends say that he can speak with computers, and he enjoys writing code and editing homemade movies, though he assures you he’s not just a nerd who just sits in front of the computer all day. Daniel likes watching Formula 1 races and stays active by doing jiu jitsu, working out at the gym and swimming. He likes agriculture very much, deriving genuine pleasure from helping his friend whose parents own a farm in Austria. Daniel wants to be a very good programmer and pushes himself in school so that he can be successful.

Marie from Belgium, 17, is open-minded and kind; she is a good listener and loves to have fun with her family and friends. She loves animals! She has a good relationship with her family and is especially close to her mother; they talk about everything and Marie always appreciates her mother’s advice. Tennis is a big part of her life; she has been playing for many years and also teaches tennis to children. When she plays tennis she is able to relax and put aside all her concerns and problems. Her favorite subjects in school are English and economics. In the future she hopes to study language at the university.

By hosting an AFS student, you and your family will help build bridges of intercultural understanding while connecting with an outstanding young person and sharing your community.

“For us, one word sums up the hosting experience: love. The bonds are intense, forged by shared struggles and a lot of laughter!” said Kathleen Menke, a Sacramento area Host Mom. “To future AFS families we would say: “Do it!” Open your hearts and minds and prepare to be stretched, and then get ready to realize how much richer your world has become because of your new son or daughter.”

Join our global community. Host an international exchange student with AFS-USA, a leader in international high school student exchange for more than 65 years. Call 800-AFS-INFO ext. 3333 or email ahenry@afsusa.org for more information. Visit us on the web at www.afsusa.org.