Exchange Program: Welcome Foreign Students Into Your Home

An international exchange student program says it's eager to find local host homes for 50 visiting students by July 8.

Students come from other countries as part of "EF Homestay," run through Education First, an over 40-year-old non-profit organization promoting international student exchange. Students stay with local host families for three to four weeks in the summer, taking classes during the day and learning more informally about their host family's culture one-on-one in the evening. Morning classes consist of history, English and other subjects. Afternoons can be spent participating in things like educational tours and sightseeing, among other cultural avenues. Evenings, weekends and Friday afternoons are free time for the students. Students come fully insured and EF program managers are available during the entirety of student participation. Host families also receive weekly stipends per hosted student, among other incentives.

Three programs are scheduled for this summer, with students participating in three sessions starting in July. As many 5,000 students will be staying with host families throughout the U.S. through the EF Homestay program, according to the group.

About 150 students will be placed in all, but EF representative Amelie Hannebicque said the group really needs help finding homes for the last third. The group has already placed students in Morristown, Chatham, Madison and Summit.

Among the students looking to be placed are Olga, 16, from Russia, and Edouard, 15, from the north of France.

Olga lives in southern Russia with her parents and her brother. The group describes her as curious, active and sometimes quiet. She keeps a healthy lifestyle, likes to play tennis, and is excited about her city hosting the 2014 Olympic games. She's traveled to England, but never to the United States.

Edouard lives with his parents. He's an only child, but the group describes him as the life of the party. He's sporty, intellectual and family-minded. EF says he loves learning new things and can't wait to take on this new "human adventure."

According to EF, host families (including couples, single parents and empty nesters):

• are able to select the student's gender and nationality (Spain, Germany, France and Russia);
• are asked to provide a bed (students can share a room), three meals a day and local transportation to and from EF's course center at the College of Saint Elizabeth (the program provides transportation along the Morristown NJ Transit Line);
• are supported by local experienced staff who are accessible at all times;
• receive a weekly stipend $100/student per week.

 Students:

• are busy Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. so, you do not need to change your daily routine (evenings and weekends are spent with the host families);
• have a full activity program, so host families are not requested to take our students sightseeing;
• come with their own insurance and spending money.

Contact Amelie (781-267-1421) or amelie.hannebicque@ef.com