CIEE Seeks American Families to Host Exchange Students from Around the World

Intercultural exchange organization searching nationwide for host families who will open their homes and hearts to international students

News provided by

Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)

Jul 17, 2019, 10:44 ET

PORTLAND, Maine, July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, CIEE connects people and communities around the world by providing high school students from more than 70 countries the life-changing opportunity to attend high school in the United States. CIEE is looking for host families who can welcome one of these international students into their home for as little as two weeks up to 10 months.

Families of all shapes and sizes – kids, no kids, empty nesters, single parents, etc.– are needed to host international students between 15 and 18 years old who are participating in CIEE's High School USA program. The role of a host family is part parent, part cultural ambassador. They make it possible for students from across the globe to learn about American culture by living with an American family, attending an American high school, and participating in the extracurricular activities typical of an American teenager. In return, host families have the opportunity to experience another culture firsthand – learn new recipes, celebrate new holidays, or perhaps learn a new language.

CIEE offers ongoing support services to ensure that host families have a positive experience. The CIEE High School USA team gets to know each host family in order to match them with the right student, offers advice on how to bring host families and students closer together, and CIEE provides 24/7 emergency support.

Over and over, host families tell CIEE that their lives are just as touched and changed as those of their exchange student. Hosting an exchange student supports a transformational experience not just for the international student, but also for the host family, school, and community. Hosts and visiting students learn new customs and perspectives, while making friendships that cross borders and often last a lifetime.

In today's increasingly global and interconnected world, the intercultural exchange experience of hosting an international high school student is invaluable for all involved. By fostering mutual understanding and respect between people, cultures, and countries, host families humanize international relations and contribute to a more peaceful global community.

Watch a video about what it means to be a CIEE Host Family here.

For more details on hosting a CIEE High School USA student or to apply to be a host family, click here.

About CIEE
CIEE, the country's oldest and largest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, transforms lives and builds bridges by promoting the exchange of ideas and experiences. To help people develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world, CIEE sponsors a wide variety of opportunities for cultural exchange, including work exchange programs, teach abroad programs, and a worldwide portfolio of study abroad and internship programs for college and high school students. To learn more about CIEE, please visit http://ciee.org.

Contact: Leslie Taylor, (207) 553-4274, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)