SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – International students are in search of families to host them during their exchange program in the United States.
The students are able to become exchange students through an agency called the International Student Exchange (ISE). The agency was started in 1982 and works with the US Department of State to run the J-1 Visa Exchange program. ISE has area representatives who help facilitate exchange student in their community. Chris Gabel is the ISE representative for the Central New York Area.
In Central New York there are ten students still looking for host families. They are from many different areas of the world and all speak English. The students will be in the United States for either half or a full school year. During their time in the United States, they take part in the activities that a typical American student does like play sports and attend prom.
The Covid-19 pandemic has made it difficult for students to find families to host them.
“A lot of people don’t want our kids to come over even though they’ve been vaccinated and we have the proof. They’re scared and that’s a lot of schools. But we’re slowly getting back into the process of things. It’s just finding those families that’s the hardest right now,” said Gabel.
Families are not paid to have an exchange student. Being a host family is a on a volunteer basis. Students do still arrive with their own spending money and giving them an allowance is not required.
The main things that families provide for their exchange students are three meals a day, a bed, and an environment to learn about their American culture. Exchange students can also educate their host family on the culture of their home country.
ISE is hoping to find host families for the students by September 1st. Families looking to host an exchange student can get in touch with Chris Gabel at chrisgabel1978@gmail.com.