By Jennifer Taylor/reporter
Those looking to expand their vision of the world outside of the United States can become a Host Family for an exchange student.
The Aspect Foundation, a non-profit organization, sponsors many exchange students who need an American host family.
Hosting a student is not expensive. The host family needs to provide room and meals, and the student can even share a room with a same sex sibling within five years of his/her age.
The students attend local public high schools and have their own spending money for personal needs.
The students are also fully covered by medical/liability insurance.
Aspect Foundation host families can be married or single adults (25 or older), with or without children, who can provide meals and a loving home for one or two students.
The foundation has community representatives who provide personal support, advice and friendship to each student and host family. It adheres to strict standards for student and host family selection and assists participants with preparation for hosting an extended family member.
Aspect operates in compliance with Federal regulations and industry standards for the safety of the student and support of the host family.
The Aspect Foundation has a 10-step process for becoming a host family. Since it is a very important decision, the foundation suggests talking to everyone in the family so all involved are comfortable having an extended family member.
Then the prospective host family should set up an interview with an Aspect coordinator, who can answer all questions and concerns. The family completes a detailed application that includes information about family members, pets, daily routines, interests and lifestyle.
The host family can review all student profiles when the coordinator visits the home. He can also put the prospective family in touch with a former host family, so they can share their hosting experiences. Once approved, the family and the student can exchange letters, e-mails or phone calls. The final preliminary step is picking up the students from the airport.
Many exchange students want the opportunity to live in the American society, learn from U.S. school systems and change the perspectives that many Americans may have about their cultures.
The Aspect Foundation provides the opportunity for both the student and the host family to experience a world they have never seen.
For the students who experience the study-abroad program, this is an opportunity to learn more about American culture, become fluent in English and return home more mature from the experience.
Student exchange is an opportunity of a lifetime for many of these students to be able to learn from what the United States has to offer and for them to share the wealth of knowledge they have from their own cultures.
Founded in 1985, the group reaches out to more than 400 communities of host families with students from more than 30 countries.
High school and college programs are available, offering affordable study-abroad opportunities to students from around the world.
