Broadcast date: 7/13/2017
Few experiences can spark interest in the world like opening your home and becoming a host family for an international student. Being a host family can be a unique, rewarding, fun and educational experience for all members of a family and an opportunity to create long-lasting relationships. Families get the chance to meet new friends from all areas of the world, as well as learn about the many interesting differences between various languages and cultures. Students come here in hopes of improving their English skills, but while here host families become the students’ home away from home.
These enriching personal experiences also offer other important benefits to the greater community. Along with an opportunity to present our local communities internationally, they can also expand our own global competence, and bring increased economic revenue through shopping trips, dining out, and other recreational activities that take place during the exchange.
Join host Kris Kington-Barker as she speaks with guests from EF Educational Homestay Programs, a nonprofit arm of EF, which stands for Education First, Raechelle Bowlay-Sutton, International Site Director, and Heather A. Young, Program Leader, as they discuss how becoming a host family can assist in breaking down the barriers of culture, language and geography that can often divide us and the range of benefits it provides the student, host families, and the community at large.
Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX and made possible through underwriting by Joan Gellert-Sargen.
