It surprised me how open our small community is to foreign students
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For Host Family Appreciation Week, we reached out to our Local Coordinators and asked them what host families mean to them, and why host families make such a difference in their communities. Here’s what Michael Friday, from Oklahoma had to say:
How long have you been a Local Coordinator?
I have been an LC for 2 years
How do you recruit your host families?
I share my personal hosting experiences in my day to day contact with people.
What do you like most about working with our host families?
Giving students an opportunity to experience life in America and especially Oklahoma.
What do you appreciate most about our host families?
People opening up their homes to perfect strangers hoping to make the world a little better place onE young person at a time.
How has working as an LC/working with HFs changed your community or your views on the world?
It surprised me how open our small community is to these foreign students. Despite the conflicts around the world, people welcoming these ambassadors of their country. We have an only child from South Korea that is a double placement with a lad from Germany. It has been so cool to see the bond develop between these boys. The Korean boy now knows what it's like to have a brother!
Anything else you would like to share?
I believe I will be remembered not for the 30 years of my career with the Federal Government, but rather with the kids around the world that I have hosted or played a part of their exchange program.
Thank you Michael for sharing your story!
Learn what it takes to be a Local Coordinator.
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