ALEXANDRIA VA – Families interested in the experience of hosting a foreign exchange student, as well as American students who hope to join an exchange family outside the U.S., are being sought by ASSE International Student Exchange Programs to discuss available opportunities.
The non-profit organization operates an Eastern regional office in Alexandria VA. Its staff hopes to talk with those who need more information, or want to start the application process.
ASSE, established in 1976 as the American Scandinavian Student Exchange, involves students from more than 50 countries worldwide, including France, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Ukraine, Japan, and Australia. They are between the ages of 15 and 18 years, and are “enthusiastic and excited to experience American culture, family life, school, and sports,” it said.
Exchange students most often are welcomed into homes not as a guest, but as a family member, “giving everyone involved a rich cultural experience,” the organization said. Students “love to share their own culture and language with their host families,” it added. Host families may be single parents, couples and single persons.
Students have their own pocket money available for personal expenses. They also are covered by full health, accident, and liability insurance. ASSE said program candidates “are carefully selected based upon academics and personality, and host families choose their student from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and personal interests.”
Families ready to either host an exchange student, or have a qualified applicant venture abroad as part of an ASSE program, should call Eastern Regional Director Alina Clements at 1-800-677-2773, or send an e-mail to asseusaeast@asse.com for details or start an application.
Photo by Taras Malyarevich on Deposit Photos, used by Travels With The Post under license
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