How can I make my new foreign exchange student feel more welcome?

Question

Yesterday, my family picked up our new foreign exchange student from Italy. I want things to go very smoothly and I want her to not feel too homesick. Any tips or advice on how to make this all work well? All will be appreciated.

Answer 1

It is very nice of you to be concerned about her, and that will probably make more difference than anything.  I have worked with a lot of foreign exchange students, and the ones who were happiest with their homestays were always those who had hosts who weren't just renting out a room but rather took the time to include them in their families.

Help her meet other young people, both from your country and other foreign exchange students in the area.  Having friends she can talk to will make her feel at home.

Take her out to see local sites.  Tell her about some of the things to do in the area, and ask her what she'd like to do.  Trying new experiences is probably the most exciting part of living abroad.  Even seemingly mundane things like bowling can be interesting in a new country because it fives you a glimpse at a new culture and how people live & interact.

Ask her to teach you a few Italian phrases and maybe some dishes or whatever it is she can to help her feel like she's contributing to the family.  Keep a sense of humor, and show her it's ok to make mistakes, like when you stumble over Italian phrases.  That way she'll know you understand when she struggles with English.

Ask if the local elementary school would like her to come in and talk to the kids about her native land.  This will help her feel proud of her culture & connect with the community.  Schools often have international festivals, or she could talk to a class that is studying the Roman Empire.

Also give her the chance to have some alone time when she needs it.  She may get depressed from time to time, and it's ok if she's a little sad.  If you see her in a mood like that for more than a couple hours, just do a quick check-in with her and invite her to go out to dinner or even just grocery shopping or whatever it is you would do regularly, or ask if she'd like to invite one of her new friends over.

If you can give her access to the Internet to keep in touch with friends & family at home, that would be great, too.

Answer 2

i would suggest that at least once a week have italian food and the rest american or what ever you desire. show her around little italy so she can see if it's anything like her home town, but also be aware that she came over here for a reason so don't be afraid to ask her if their is anything she would like to see.  i hope this works. good luck!