Exchange students often arrive in the U.S. with interests, hobbies, and goals they are excited to continue pursuing during their exchange year. For host families, watching them follow their interests in the U.S. or uncover new passions can be one of the most rewarding parts of hosting an exchange student.
By encouraging them to participate in school activities, community organizations, sports, and family outings, host families can help exchange students have a truly extraordinary experience.
Discover how supporting an exchange student’s interests can create a more rewarding experience for everyone.
Encourage Exchange Students to Continue the Activities They Love
One of the simplest ways host families can begin supporting exchange students is by encouraging them to stay involved in activities they already enjoy.
For some exchange students, that may include participating in sports, music, theater, art, academic clubs, fitness programs, or other extracurricular activities. Continuing familiar activities can help students build confidence, make friends, and feel more comfortable in their new environment.
Sometimes, host families go above and beyond to help students pursue long-term goals and passions.
Local Coordinator Marilyn Andrews highlighted how the Vermillion family truly went the extra mile for an exchange student who wanted to continue competitive skiing during her academic year in Montana:
“They hosted [an exchange student] from Poland a few years ago. This girl was a competitive skier and needed to keep up with her skills while on her exchange year. The Vermillion Family took her 50 miles every weekend to a ski resort for professional training.”
The Vermillion family is an extraordinary case of a host family helping an exchange student pursue their passion. The vast majority of host families support exchange students’ interests in much smaller (yet still meaningful) ways, such as encouraging them to join a local sports team or picking them up from an after-school event.
In fact, countless exchange students emphasize that it’s often the little things that matter most.
School Activities Create Connection
Many exchange students find connection at their host schools through clubs, performing arts, student organizations, and school events. These activities help students make friends with their peers while feeling more connected to their new community.
Greta from Germany appreciated how the Starr family encouraged her involvement in school activities at every step:
“They were at all my basketball games and track meets, cheering me on. Which means more to me than they will ever understand. My host dad captured all those moments in photos and proudly shared them on his Facebook. Every morning, they drove me 20 minutes to school, picked me up after practice, and always tried to take me to every other event and hangout with my friends.”
Similarly, Chanel from Switzerland reflected on the time the Kilgores spent helping her participate in school and extracurricular activities during her exchange year:
“My host mom and host dad go above and beyond every single day to make my experience unforgettable. They drive me to all my school and club activities, which adds up to around 4,800 minutes which is almost 80 hours, spent in the car just for me, one of three kids.”
Introduce Them to Your Community
Supporting exchange students’ passions isn’t limited to school activities. Many host families help students feel at home by helping them get involved in their host community.
This can include attending church, participating in local events, joining a gym, volunteering, visiting attractions, taking art classes at the community center, or simply connecting with other members of the community.
In addition to generously adding Melanie from Austria to their gym membership so she could maintain her exercise regimen during her exchange program, the Maggard family helped Melanie become part of the broader community:
“They introduced me to their church community, which made me feel even more welcome and included.”
Help Them Try Something New
While many high school exchange students continue pursuing existing interests, the exchange year also provides opportunities to discover new passions. For many students, this comes about naturally as they navigate daily life in the U.S.; for example, they may try out a new hobby with their host sibling or discover a love for American football at school.
Some exchange students come to the U.S. with a bucket list of experiences they’d like to have. While this can sound intimidating to some host families, many of these new experiences are just part of ordinary life in the U.S.
Johanna from Austria shared:
“I had a bucket list and they helped me complete every single point. For example: a pumpkin patch, riding a rollercoaster, rollerblading, etc.”
Oftentimes, what exchange students are most interested in during their program is exploring American culture and connecting with their host family. Tetiana from Ukraine emphasized how it was the everyday moments she shared with the Serhiienko family that made her experience truly special:
“They’re always there for me and they try to help make my experience the best it could be! They’re really funny and are down to experiencing new things, like doing a workshop or going to a new museum.
They try to make everyday special, by preparing new meals for dinner and taking me to an activity they wanted us to do together. There’s so much we do together, go to museums, go on walks with dogs, volunteer, have family game and movie nights. We cook together and sing in the car, go shopping and try new foods.”
New Experiences for Everyone
Supporting an exchange student’s passions can also open the door to new experiences for your family. Cultural exchange is a two-way street, and plenty of host families find themselves learning just as much as the students they welcomed into their home.
As exchange students share their interests, traditions, and perspectives, host families are introduced to new foods, activities, and ways of seeing the world. For many families, those shared experiences spark new interests and become some of their most cherished memories from the exchange year.
Share your community, your interests, and your everyday life with someone new—host an exchange student with AYA.
Whether it’s through sports, clubs, community events, exchange student activities, bucket-list experiences, or everyday moments at home, host families play an important role in helping exchange students pursue their passions and make the most of their time in the U.S. In many cases, that support comes down to encouraging their interests, helping them get involved, being open to new experiences, and including them in your family’s daily life.
If your family is interested in hosting a high school exchange student, AYA can help you find an international student whose interests and personality are a natural fit for your household.
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