Cultural differences, language and miles sometimes make us feel worlds apart. However, when you decide to welcome into your home an international exchange student, you quickly discover they become family.

Hosting a foreign exchange student over the summer comes with benefits for both the hosting family and the student. You both will learn how “worlds apart” could, in fact, be very close together through experiences and conversations at home, school and community.

Students acclimate to a new environment through such living situations, learning about a new culture and practicing a new language. They experience immersions in a foreign culture in a safe and affordable manner. Their parents have peace of mind knowing that their children are in a safe home and well cared for while they live in a foreign country.

Hosting international students can also bring many benefits to the host families. Families may choose to host a foreign exchange student for various reasons: to forge friendships, to provide a learning experience for students from another country, and to exchange cultural insights. Some host families exchange students every year, fact that denotes that the experience is a good one.

Here are more benefits a hosting family may enjoy when opening their home to a foreign exchange student.

1. Expand your family’s horizons

Housing a foreign exchange student is a great option for a family that wants to provide for their children a flexible, open and expanded worldview. Since these international students want often to learn during their stay as much as they can about the host’s culture, many of them are also happy to discuss their own cultures and countries with their host family. This can open a whole new perspective for your children and help them see the world in a new way. Your children will learn to accept and respect the cultures and peoples of the world. You will introduce your family to new music and foods, a new language, and an entirely new culture. As you share experiences with someone from across the globe, your family will gain a new perspective, seeing the world with fresh eyes.

2. Send your own children to study abroad

By taken part in a hosting and student exchange program, many host families open the possibility that their own children are placed in other countries. This way, it becomes much easier to send your own children to study aboard.

3. Help a student reach his/her potential

Watching a person develop, grow, and succeed in life is a great reward for your efforts. By providing hosting to a foreign exchange student you help that person to reach their potential. You can feel proud for your role as a host for international students in helping young adults or teens grow and develop.

3. Earn extra income

You may also receive a compensation for hosting an international student. This way, you can earn an extra income for your household. This also ends up being a better financial option for visiting student’s parents because it costs them less than they would pay for living expenses and pricey dorms.

4. Expand your family

Through the foreign exchange student you can build lifelong friendships with someone from across the globe.

5. Make a difference

By hosting an international student, your support the cultural awareness and diversity in schools and throughout the community.