Challenges faced by foreign exchange students every year

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) – Michigan hosts an average of more than 2,000 foreign exchange students every year. The goal is to build cultural awareness in communities but there are a few challenges before the students arrive in the United States.

Two exchange students from neighboring cities in Latvia, ending up at East Jackson High. Is it a coincidence or is it fate?

“I would say it’s been really great these past four months,” East Jackson Senior Edvarts Rumba said.

“As my grandma says to me like you dream about a lot of things, you’re not gonna do it, but this time I went through with it,” East Jackson Senior Andrejs Puce said.

A dream that both Andrejs Puce and Edvarts Rumba have been living since August of 2024.

“As scary as it is, it really teaches you a lot. Even though you have a host family, it teaches you to be independent,” Andrejs said.

Youth For Understanding, a worldwide exchange organization, brings families together from 60 different countries.

“These kids, they are teenagers,” Deb Fry said.”And it shows us that teenagers are the same around the world, but they grow up differently. If you can share the cultural differences and learn to understand each other, maybe someday we’ll have peace.”

International students come to the United States to learn a new culture but not every student gets that opportunity.

“Some of the struggles with bringing students to the United States is finding enough families to host the students, to opening up their home, opening their hearts,” Fry said.

Additional challenges include a lack of awareness of the program and expectations for host families.

“That’s okay if you’re not doing things every day or it’s not the typical,” Andrejs’ Host Family said. “They just want to see what it’s like to be in a different family and be accepted, be part of the cultures and the traditions and things that you do within your home.”

“I didn’t give it much thought. This might have been like the best decision I’ve ever made,” Edvarts said.

“No matter the differences, you still feel a connection,” Andrejs’ Host Family said. “And you end up being touched by it.”

Both Andrejs and Edvarts hope to attend college in the States and build a career.

If you would like to host an exchange student, you can visit this link for more information. All you have to provide is a bed, three meals a day and love.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.

link