to meet the student presented on the biographical
information sheet. At best, a completed form is a very
limited picture of a person. In addition, students fill out
the form nearly a year before families receive them. The
student naturally has changed during that year. In some
cases, the student may have had help filling out the
application in English, which can lead to misunderstood
questions or some liberal interpretations taken by the
person who helped fill it out. A student may think it’s
better to write what the family would want to hear; this
is polite in many cultures—not dishonest.
It is also common for host families to expect the new
student to be just like an on-program student the host
family has met, or like a student the family hosted
previously. It is natural to base perceptions on a known
quantity, but these perceptions are not always realistic.
••The student will fit into the family right away. It’s
a beautiful thought and occasionally it happens! More
likely, however, there will be a period of adjustment
when the family is teaching the student what it is like to
live as an American, and while the family is also learning
how everyday life in the USA differs from that in the
student’s country. Though students are committed to
adjusting to the new habits of their American families,
it is not easy for them to do so. The family can help the
student adjust throughout the entire stay.
••The student will share his or her culture and self.
Most students do want to share their cultural heritage
10 - CCP HANDBOOK
with families, but it may be a little difficult to know
how and when. In order to maximize this cross-cultural
experience, the family needs to prepare themselves
and be ready to offer times and places for the student
to discuss her country, share its holidays and special
customs, teach some of its language, or prepare some
typical foods.
••The student will speak fluent English. Families may
expect this to be true because of the Comprehensive
English Language Test (CELT); which students took as
part of their screening for the YFU Community College
Program. English language abilities vary, depending
on type of language teaching and the standards in
various countries. It may be that the student has
studied English but does not speak or understand very
well. The family may learn the great value of nonverbal
communication or “body language”—facial expressions
and gestures —if the student’s English is weak at first.
The family should be creative and, with a little effort by
both parties, communication will become effective.
••The experience will be free of problems. More than
one host family has told YFU that hosting an exchange
student was much tougher than they expected, but was
nonetheless worthwhile. Usually, the learning situations
that mean the most in the long run are those which
have included difficulties. At the end, most families
feel that having a student was a very positive learning
experience, even though it was not always perfect.