Hosts are responsible for meals within the home, but not outside the home

Published in the June 11-27, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Staff Report

Local families are needed to host eight foreign-exchange students from Brazil who will be attending Sobrato High School in fall through the nonprofit organization Educatius International’s program.

Morgan Hill resident Madelyn Mancini is involved with the student exchange organization which for 20 years has been placing international students with American families to promote world peace and inter-cultural understanding.

“Our students are between 14 and 18 years of age and they will spend a semester or an academic year with a host family while attending an American high school,” she said. “Our students must exhibit a high level of maturity. They have a solid history of strong academics and have the ability to adapt to a diverse culture.”

A host family is responsible for providing a room with a quiet place to study, board, and a caring environment. Hosts are also responsible for meals within the home, but not outside the home. The host family receives a stipend of $700 per student per month to offset any expenses. Families can host more than one student at a time.

The international student can share a room with a family member of the same gender but must be close in age. They can also share a room with another same-gender international student. The students have their own health insurance and are responsible for their expenses outside of the home such as clothes and entertainment.

Knowing someone from another country opens up American children’s minds to the rest of the world, said Jill Warren, regional manager for Educatius International.

“They realize that people from other cultures might think about things differently than we do and it is OK because we can still be friends and share ideas in a meaningful way,” she said. “They hear a news story about Norway or Brazil, for example, and pay attention because they know someone from there. It makes our world more real and reachable.”

The biggest benefit for families is really getting to share American culture and learn another culture without leaving their home, she said. Students become a part of their family and lifelong relationships are built. “Families get to help these students learn, grow and mature while they are here,” she said.

Contact Mancini at 408-591-4851 or email her at [email protected] for more information about hosting a foreign exchange student.