Host an Exchange Student

Giving a foreign student the chance to know the real America is one of the best gifts you could give to our country.

A Brighter, More Secure Future

We hear so much these days about anti-American sentiment abroad. Every night, it seems the evening news reminds us of ongoing anti-American or anti-Western protests or even just the condescending comments of a foreign ally. Do you ever feel that if only these other citizens of the world could get to know us as people, they might just see that Americans have powerful spirits, strong values, and big hearts?

You can show the world just how warm and fun-loving Americans really are by hosting an exchange student from abroad. Giving a foreign student the opportunity to get to know the real America and not the Hollywood version is one of the best gifts you could give to our country. Promoting cultural and religious understanding by inviting a young person into your home just may make the United States a little safer and more secure in the future, too.

Imagine sharing Halloween with a Russian teenager, watching Fourth of July fireworks with a boy from Pakistan, taking a Chinese youth to his first basketball game, or introducing a Kenyan girl to your favorite pizza joint. Our everyday lives are filled with awe-inspiring first-time experiences for students from around the world, who will go back home with stories of a wonderful American trip. What's more, seeing your own life through the eyes of someone new may just make you realize what a great country you live in.

The effects work the other way, too! You might make fried plantains with a Mexican student, have a tea ceremony with a Japanese teen, or learn how to write the letters of the Arabic alphabet. Whether you have young children or are retired with an empty nest, hosting an exchange student creates a lasting bond. You may find that people of different nations aren't so different after all. And who knows, one day you may receive an invitation to a wedding in a strange land or find that you always have a place to stay in South Africa or Ireland or India or Brazil.

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• Immigration Solutions for America
• It's not about coming to America. It's about becoming an American.
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• Dream Catchers: America's Promise Fulfilled
• "We're grateful for the life we've been able to build."
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• Resolutions for a Better America
• Although you can't single-handedly put an end to political strife or world hunger, you still make a difference. Find out what small actions you can take to create a big impact.
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• View the complete America 2.0 poll results.
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