Six years ago, I opened by home and heart to an exchange student. Since then, my family has had the pleasure of welcoming a new family member each August. Now, Lydia has international “sisters” in Japan, Finland, Switzerland, Germany and Korea.
The program we are involved in, Youth For Understanding (YFU), is seeking families who are willing to host students from around the world. For families interested in exposing their child to other countries and backgrounds, hosting a foreign exchange student is an excellent introduction into that culture, and a priceless experience for both you, your kids and your international student.
All of the sudden, your family expands to include the whole world. We have learned geography, some bits of new languages and tried some strange foods. When we read about disaster in “our” countries, we feel it because someone we love lives there.
Youth for Understanding is one of only two non-profit student exchange programs in the nation. The program is 90 percent volunteer run and I am one of 1,400 active volunteers. In 2007, 530 American students were sent abroad to 44 countries and 2,050 International students from 60 countries were embraced by American families. There have been more than 225,000 total YFU students since 1951. Annually, there are 4,000 student exchanges worldwide.
If you are interested in learning more about hosting or volunteering with YFU, please contact me or the YFU Northeast district office at (866) 493-8872. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have and to provide you with more information. You can also visit YFU on the web at www.yfu-usa.org.
The mission of Youth For Understanding (YFU) is to prepare young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world. You can be a part of that - right here in Cayuga County.
Together, we can make the world a smaller, happier place for families internationally by connecting cross-culturally. Please consider this opportunity for your family or for those in your community.
Susan Marteney
Auburn
All of the sudden, your family expands to include the whole world. We have learned geography, some bits of new languages and tried some strange foods. When we read about disaster in “our” countries, we feel it because someone we love lives there.
Youth for Understanding is one of only two non-profit student exchange programs in the nation. The program is 90 percent volunteer run and I am one of 1,400 active volunteers. In 2007, 530 American students were sent abroad to 44 countries and 2,050 International students from 60 countries were embraced by American families. There have been more than 225,000 total YFU students since 1951. Annually, there are 4,000 student exchanges worldwide.
If you are interested in learning more about hosting or volunteering with YFU, please contact me or the YFU Northeast district office at (866) 493-8872. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have and to provide you with more information. You can also visit YFU on the web at www.yfu-usa.org.
The mission of Youth For Understanding (YFU) is to prepare young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world. You can be a part of that - right here in Cayuga County.
Together, we can make the world a smaller, happier place for families internationally by connecting cross-culturally. Please consider this opportunity for your family or for those in your community.
Susan Marteney
Auburn
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