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The Gift of an International Sibling

July 28, 2016 AYA Leave a Comment

The Gift of an International Sibling | Academic Year in America (AYA)When hosting with AYA, you can select a student that you feel will best fit your family’s lifestyle, personality and interests, and your kids have a special opportunity to share their American lifestyle with an international high school student. As your family shapes the perception of what it means to be American, you and your children can build friendships and familial bonds across oceans and cultures.

Hosting can be a unifying experience for families as they gain new perspective through the eyes of a grateful host student. Plus, it’s fun for families to come together and learn about a different language, lifestyle, culture and customs by getting to know an AYA student. It’s definitely much more exciting than simply reading about life in another country from a textbook.

As you spend time together celebrating holidays, sharing vacations and interacting on a routine basis, you might be surprised at how attached you get to one another—and find your family expanding to include an international son or daughter. In turn, your own children gain the gift of an international sibling.

Children often get the most out of having an AYA student join the family. They have so much to teach and are so eager to learn from one another. Kids tend to enjoy the friendship of someone ‘different’ and have a lot of fun with the give and take of cultural exchange. It can make them feel special. It can provide a built-in friendship, a trusted confidant and extended support system. In short, an AYA student may become the sibling they always wanted.

Learn more about hosting a student today!

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About AYA

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AYA is sponsored by the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1967. Its mission is to promote worldwide understanding through cultural exchange. Learn more >

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