Hints and Suggestions for the Student
The following suggestions are based on more than five
decades of YFU exchange experiences:
••Share yourself with your family. Spend time with each
member of your family. If the host parents are home
when you return from classes, talk to them about your
day and theirs. If there are children in the host family,
make a special effort to spend time with them. It is easy
for them to become jealous because of the attention
you receive. Try to teach them about your own customs
while asking and learning from them about theirs.
Respect their private time and their own friends.
••Show appreciation. Very few things are more important
in your home than thanking your family for what they do
for you. It is not customary in the USA to give expensive
gifts or big parties to say thank you. Small things that
will make your family feel good include a smile, willingly
helping with chores, or cooking a special dish. Notice
how often other host family members show appreciation
and how they do it. It may be done very differently in
your own country, but appreciation is always important.
••Establish a working relationship with your Campus
Coordinator. As a young adult, you are expected to be
self-directed and responsible. During your exchange
experience, however, you will need the guidance of
people who know the campus and community, or
people who are sensitive to the challenges of a crosscultural experience. Your YFU Campus Coordinator is
appointed by the college and trained by YFU to support
you and serve as a resource. Establish a relationship
with your Campus Coordinator early on in your
exchange experience.
Your YFU Campus Coordinator places you with your host
family, provides ongoing support to you and your host
family, advises you on your academic and technical
training options at your college, and facilitates your
integration into campus and community life. Depending
on your particular needs, the Campus Coordinator also
can refer you to other faculty, staff, and counselors on
campus for additional assistance.
••Meet people and make friends. When you come to
the USA, you will be separated from old friends but will
have an opportunity to make new friends. The roles of
friends vary from one culture to another. You may find
that friends in the USA are not so permanent. Many
US families move from one place to another every
few years. Thus, Americans tend to be friendly and
outgoing. Since you are the new person in town, it is
your responsibility to introduce yourself to people and
to get involved in campus activities.
A variety of extracurricular activities are offered at each
college. Some colleges may offer drama and music
clubs; other colleges may offer strong athletic programs
or student government. In some cases, the college may
be the center of community social and cultural events.
YFU makes every effort to match students with an
appropriate college on the basis of academic objectives
and stated extracurricular interests. Although requests
are sometimes made for specific colleges, CCP
cannot guarantee placement at a particular college.
Extracurricular activities often offer more opportunities
for friendships than the classroom situations. To feel
more a part of the college community, participate
actively in campus life in order to enhance the total US
living experience.
As community-based institutions, YFU partner colleges
have strong links with organizations in the communities
they serve. One can find a variety of civic organizations,
clubs, churches, schools, hospitals, social service
agencies, and businesses interested in the students’
perspective and willingness to contribute. Students
are invited to approach their Campus Coordinator and
other college educators to request help in identifying
volunteer opportunities.
••Do not be afraid to make mistakes when speaking
English. English has many words, slang expressions,
and idioms that are not universally understood.
Studying English c [