Host Family Topics
Disconnect between students and host families
Is there some sort of disconnect between you and the host student?
- Examples: goofing off, travel, "I've learned enough"
- Think about the experience in terms of their experience, this is a long, tough process, and has to be worked at throughout the year.
- Time to cement relationship, showing gratitude, taking part in family activities (CA)
How can you cement this relationship, making sure that you become in intercultural family unit? (CA)
Artificial assimilation (CA)
- Host families might think the participant "should know better" by now
- Though your student has been here now for some months, there are still hardships and assimilation issues that will come up through the whole experience.
Have there been issues of wanting them to “know better by now?” And how could those issues be dealt with when they come up? (CA)
HF to check in with participant about budgeting (G&E)
How is your participant dealing with their budget for the year?
Have there been any money issues that have come up? (G&E)
Participant Topics
Disconnect between participant and host families
- Examples: goofing off, travel, "I've learned enough."
- Time to cement relationship, showing gratitude, taking part in family activities (CA)
Living in a new culture and with a new family can be a lot of work and can feel like a long journey. This is a continuing process and will take work and effort until the end. Have you been making an effort to really cement your relationships with you family and be a part of them? (CA)
Suggest ways that participants can promote AFS and show appreciation to their family.(A&U, G&E)
What are some ideas you can generate to promote AFS? (A&U)
How can you continue showing appreciation to your family throughout the year? (G&E)
Encouragement for participants about winter/early spring
- Winters can feel extremely long to participants, March can be very hard for participants because they often expect more sun, but that does not always happen. So, encourage them.
March can begin to feel long and cold. What are some ways to beat the winter blues? And what can we do to anticipate the coming of spring, which, don’t worry, will be here! (CA)
Encouragement for participants about building friendships
- Friendships and relationships can take longer to establish than participants originally imagined. Encourage them to continue trying.
How are you making friends and getting on in your community? If you are still feeling discouraged about making friends, what are some ideas to make and solidify some friendships this second part of the year? (CA)
Encouragement for participants about involvement in school activities:
How are things going in school? How is the school work and the workload? Are you involved in school activities, keeping you busy and making new types of friends? (CA)
Key
A&U = AFS and You
PSW = Personal Safety and Well-being
CL = Culture Learning
CA = Cultural Adjustment
G&E = Goals and Expectations
RL = Required Logistics