Hosting Cultural Exchange Visitors
Myrthe from Holland with the Van der Waart family.
Hosting international students, au pairs, interns and young professionals is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about other countries and cultures. Our hosts know the advantages of bringing international people and new perspectives into their homes and businesses, and it's one of the primary reasons we have so many U.S. hosts who want to work with us each year.
If you've recruited an international participant to work with you or your family through InterExchange, you're also accepting a role as a cultural host. In this role, you'll share everything that makes your local community special and will hopefully provide unique insights into American culture that visitors will remember for their whole lives. Whether you coordinate an outing to a local museum, a hike in a national park or a dinner enjoying local cuisine, you'll be contributing to developing better relationships between the U.S. and all the countries that participate in cultural exchange programs.
Social Media
Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to get up-to-date information and ideas for becoming a host that makes the most of the cultural exchange experience.
External Resources
Many organizations in your communities may already organize cross-cultural programs in your area. Consider reaching out to community colleges and universities, international student houses on local university campuses, World Affairs Councils, local chambers of commerce and other international visitor and exchange organizations.
- National Council for International Visitors (NCIV): A network of community-based nonprofit organizations and universities connect their local community to the world by hosting and creating programs for international exchange participants.
- U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy (USCCD): Promotes opportunities for all Americans to be citizen diplomats and affirms the indispensable value of citizen involvement in international relations in an era of increasing globalization.
- Federal Resources for Educational Excellence: Teaching and learning resources from federal agencies, grouped by topic (U.S. history, entrepreneurship, arts and culture)
- American Studies Association: The nation’s oldest and largest association devoted to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and history.
- U.S. Community Colleges
Thanks for playing an important role in building and improving U.S. relationships with the world!
