Press coverage of NWSE taken from an article by Dana Greyson, published in the Vancouver Family Magazine on March 31, 2020

 

汇率:与国际学生的难忘经历

About six years ago, 温哥华的母亲Sara Hardy从她双胞胎的学校得知了一个短期交换学生的机会. 她的家人只同意收留两个台湾男孩48小时. 这个临时扩大的家庭享受了一个旋风般的周末，一起参观了巫毒甜甜圈, Portland’s waterfront, Chinatown and church.

从那以后，哈迪一家接待了德国、西班牙和巴西的交换生. They’ve celebrated Halloween, attended a family Thanksgiving with 20 people, explored San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and Chinatown, ridden the famed Santa Cruz roller coaster, camped on the coast and more. When Lucas, one of Hardy’s former exchange students, urged her to become an area coordinator, she took his advice. She’s now a recruiter for (…).

WHAT IS AN INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE STUDENT PROGRAM?

学生交换项目是为从高中到大学的学生提供的一个在另一个地区度过一部分学年的机会，以丰富他们的学术经验. 这些交流是通过各种组织安排的，这些组织与寄宿家庭协调或为学生做出其他生活安排. 一次典型的交换可能只持续一两周，也可能长达一年. While most associate foreign students with exchange programs, 一些学生转学到自己国家的不同地区.

A DIPLOMATIC EFFORT

“我们通常对其他国家的人有一个非常狭隘的看法,” says Sherine West, former coordinator for (…), and current host of a Thai exchange student. “我们对其他文化背景的人的了解往往受到我们在媒体上接触到的东西的限制. It is the same for people in other countries. U.S. 交流项目始于20世纪60年代，目的是促进国际外交. Through the exchange program, we get a personal glimpse into the beliefs, 风俗和意识形态以及我们逐渐爱上的学生的真实心跳. 他们回家与他们的朋友和家人分享他们对我们的好感.”

Hardy agrees, adding, “As Americans, we are so insulated. We don’t really know what life in other countries is like. Everyone speaks our language. Exchange students bring their culture to you.”

MORE ABOUT THE EXCHANGE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

你是否有兴趣接待学生，或者你的孩子是否有兴趣出国, 以下是学生交换安排专家和机构提供的一些常见问题和答案:

你建议家长在选择交换项目时考虑什么?

 Jeff Laband, 西雅图西北学生交换中心(NWSE)的执行主任建议选择一个交换项目的赞助商, one should check to make sure that the agency:

• Are long-time experts in the field
• 表现出对每个学生给予个人关注的能力
• 员工中是否有专业的协调人员
• 是否有经验丰富、与东道社区有密切联系的当地协调员
• Carefully screen and select host families
• 是你.S. Department of State designated nonprofit organizations, 列入国际教育旅游标准委员会(CSIET)

Sherine West, former coordinator for (…), also recommends, “在选择与之合作的机构之前——有很多——潜在的寄宿家庭应该对该机构的声誉做一些调查，确保他们有良好的记录. 与该地区的前寄宿家庭交谈，他们对该组织有经验. Ask them what they like and don’t like about the organization. Make sure it is something 每一个人 in the family agrees to do. Otherwise, it will not work.”

WHAT MAKES A GOOD HOST FAMILY?

Jeff Laband认为，适合澳门足球开户的家庭比他们意识到的要多得多. “Our host families come from all backgrounds. Hosts range from empty nesters, to families with children and pets, to single parents, to single adults, to families and even to grandparents. 大多数寄宿父母都很忙，喜欢与家人和交换学生共度美好时光.”

HOW ARE HOST FAMILIES VETTED?

Laband分享了CSIET的一些标准和美国国务院的规定，他和其他合规组织都遵循这些规定，作为审查潜在寄宿家庭的最佳实践的一部分:“交流组织应该管理全面的申请流程, interviews, background checks, listing of family hobbies/activities, evaluating references, 等. 我们还会拜访他们的家庭，了解他们的生活方式，以确保交换学生和家人一起享受美好的经历. 寄宿家庭也会接受全面的寄宿家庭介绍.“

HOW ARE STUDENTS VETTED AND PREPARED?

拉邦解释说，交换学生的审查过程同样受到CSIET和国务院法规的监管. 学生们也要经历同样全面的申请过程, interviews, medical and immunization records, grades/transcripts, written letters and essays, hobbies/activities, English language skills assessment, recommendation letters. In addition, 他们在出发前会收到本国的指导和手册信息, 另外，当他们到达他们的交流目的地时，他们还会在他们所在的社区接受额外的指导.”

WHAT’S THE OPTIMUM LEAD TIME BETWEEN APPLYING AND PLACEMENT?

While lead times may vary, “The application season typically starts in September/October,” says Laband. ，通常在6月或7月结束. Early applications (before December) are always recommended.”

成本

学生交换项目的费用根据项目的长短而有所不同, 他们的祖国和他们自己的个人学术目标的项目. 寄宿家庭自愿接待持J-1签证的交换学生. 志愿主人有资格获得部分托管费用的税收减免.

交换生在海外的交流费用可能低至零美元(如果他们获得全额奖学金)。. Others typically pay between approximately $4,000 for a year-long exchange program, and up to as high as $15,000 or more, depending upon the country of origin, whether the program is J-1 or F-1, 加上机票和学生自己的私人开支(大约250美元/月), give or take).