Dear Future Host Family…
Dear Future Host Family,
I am Mateo from Burgos, Spain. My home country is beautiful and known for its Gothic Cathedrals. I live with my parents and little sister, Alma. As a family, we enjoy hiking and visiting museums.
I am anxious and excited to meet you. Becoming a foreign exchange student wasn’t an easy choice. I was torn between leaving the comforts of home and traveling the world. However, I know these new experiences are a once in a life time opportunity for me.
Because of your family, I get the opportunity to learn a new culture and expand my education. In turn, I will teach you about my culture. Have you ever tried lazos de san guillermo? It’s my favorite dessert! I will make it for your family.
I am grateful for you choosing me as an exchange student. As we say in my home country sincero gracias meaning thank you.
Te veo pronto (See you soon),
Mateo
About Student Ambassador Exchange:
At Student Ambassador Exchange, we impact the lives of students like Mateo every day! Join our global mission today by becoming a host family. Applying is easy at SAEGlobal.org. Have a question about the program? Call to speak with a Program Coordinator at (512) 323 – 9595.
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Happy Father’s Day!
In celebration of Father’s day, we want to celebrate all our wonderful SAE host dads! What makes our host dads so special is the bond they create with our exchange students, the effort they go to be there and the love they have for them.
Host dad, James from Arizona shares with us what an unforgettable experience he and his family had hosting Ben, an exchange student from China.
Ben has been an amazing addition to my family and friends. When he arrived in August he was a somewhat shy and reserved kid. Typical, right? But soon after, he opened up and became fully engaged with his exchange experience.
We had great times together attending sporting events (mostly NFL Games) and Ben embraced our local teams and got into all the excitement, being a “true fan”. We also took him on trips to show him different places and landmarks in the U.S., including Salt Lake City and San Diego.
We learned from the beginning that he was self-motivated and loved to contribute at home. He even enjoyed grocery shopping! He was also open to trying new things like cooking some egg drop soup! I have to say, it was delightful!
My friends think he is such a great young man and ask about him every day.
When I think back to our year together and all the memories we made, the moment he made me most proud, always stands out. That moment was when he decided to join the school soccer team. Ben never played organized soccer in China, but decided to give it a go. Lots of other kids dropped out for various reasons but he persevered and was chosen to be on the team. Initially, because of his inexperience he only played in the last few minutes of a game when they were well ahead. However, as the season progressed and his skills improved, he started the last 4 games of the season (as a defender) and played in 2 playoff games! The school finished third in their division. That’s really remarkable for someone new to the game and our country to step-up and stay with something new and different!
Ben is a terrific kid and he will go far in life. He has goals in place for his future that I know he will accomplish!
Happy Father’s Day James and all our SAE host dads!
Interested in becoming a host dad and creating unforgettable memories with an exchange student? Check out how to host this fall on our website!
Post originally by AYA blog
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A Letter from a Host Family…
A letter from a Host Family:
My family had always thought hosting a high school exchange student would be a fun experience. We wanted to create a welcoming home and share our family’s traditions. We stumbled upon Student Ambassador Exchange last summer and applied!
I can only imagine how anxious the student must have been because we were very anxious for his arrival. We were worried about how the student would adjust to our home and lifestyle. So many questions arouse. Would we be able to communicate easily? How should we set up ground rules? Should we give the student space? Our Program Coordinator with SAE Global helped ease our anxiety by answering our questions thoroughly. They explained that both our family and the student would receive an orientation about expectations. SAE Global also ensured us the students in the program must have good grades and discipline to become a part of the program.
SAE Global allowed us to view student profiles and select a student based on our preferences. We selected Adrian based on common interests, age, and gender. Adrian arrived September 3rd, 2018 and quickly found a place in our hearts. He was exceptional in school and sought help when needed. We have enjoyed introducing him to our favorite spots like the local ice cream shop and hiking trails. Adrian was open to sharing his home country’s traditions and customs too. We learned about Spanish holidays, sayings, food, and so much more. It was interesting to see the similarities and differences between the two countries. As host parents, we embraced the challenges and felt accomplished by the success of the year!
Although it is sad to see Adrian leave to go home. We have built a bond that will last a lifetime. We are looking forward to visiting him and his family in Spain next year. We encourage anyone considering an International Exchange Program to take the leap. It is an enriching cultural experience for all members of the family!
Sincerely,
The Miller Family
About Student Ambassador Exchange:
At Student Ambassador Exchange, we build lasting relationships like the Miller Family and Adrian every day! Join our global mission today by becoming a host family. Applying is easy at SAEGlobal.org. Have a question about the program? Call to speak with a Program Coordinator at (512) 323 – 9595.
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