Business & Investments

Ayusa Looking for American Families to Host Exchange Students in Texas

Left to right: Ayusa exchange student Michelle Maehler, with Lisa Atkins and her daughters Amelia and Allison

(PRWEB) April 02, 2013

Ayusa International, a 30-year-old non-profit organization that promotes global learning and leadership through cultural exchange and leadership programs for high school students, is looking for American families in Texas interested in hosting an exchange student for the 2013-2014 school year.

Ayusa is specifically looking for Texas host families in the following communities:

    San Antonio
    Houston, Austin, Dallas
    Northeast Texas: Tyler, Longview/Marshall, Clarkesville, Mount Pleasant, Greenville, Paris and Texarkana, Nacogdoches/Lufkin area, Jacksonville and Palestine

“While growing up, my parents hosted exchange students, and my siblings and I developed a wonderfully broad view of our world and the many cultures in it – exactly what I wanted to offer my daughters,” says host Lisa Atkins, an Ayusa host parent in San Antonio. “Our student, Michelle Maehler from Germany, has been a delight: we all love to discuss the similarities and differences in our respective cultures, and the girls have had loads of fun baking desserts out of Michelle’s German cookbook. The bonus we’ve received this year is that my daughters now feel like they have an older sister; that in itself is reason enough to host an exchange student.”

Ayusa welcomes all interested families who would like to host an international exchange student including families without children, empty nesters, military families, retirees, and single people. Ayusa families come from all over the U.S., including both rural and urban communities. Host families provide three meals a day and a bedroom (either private or shared). Each student is supported by a professionally trained local representative from Ayusa who works with the family, student and local school for the entire program.

How to Host a Foreign Exchange Student

Texas families interested in hosting an exchange student with Ayusa can follow three simple steps.

    Step One: View information online about Ayusa students including their age, country of origin, hobbies, and essays to their future host families, to decide which student will be a good fit for your family.

    Step Two: Complete your Ayusa online hosting application. You will be provided a list of questions about your family and local high school, asked for five references, and requested to sign a program agreement. An Ayusa representative can help you complete the application, answer any questions, and connect you with other host families in your community.

    Step Three: Once your application is submitted, an Ayusa representative will work with you to complete the additional hosting requirements – a criminal background check and in-home interview with an Ayusa representative. Once you are an approved host family, you may login to select your student. Your Ayusa representative can also help you find a student to match your family’s interests and activities.

Ayusa’s exchange students are 15-18 years old and come from more than 60 countries around the world, including Brazil, Japan, Germany, Ecuador, France, Peru, Morocco, China, and Spain. All students are fully insured, bring their own spending money, and are proficient in English.

“Host families in Texas are known for their Southern hospitality and love sharing the rich history and lore of the Lone Star State with international students,” said Connie Coutu, Ayusa regional manager in Texas. “Hosting an exchange student also provides Texas families the chance to learn about other cultures around the globe, without ever leaving their local community. If you’ve ever thought about sharing your America with an international student, don’t hesitate – please give us a call to start building an international friendship that will last a lifetime!”

According to The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), more than 27,000 international high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old studied in the U.S. during 2011-2012 as part of U.S. government-sponsored international exchange programs. Ayusa has been a member CSIET for more than 25 years – since its foundation. CSIET evaluates U.S.-based high school exchange programs so that students, families and schools can identify reputable inbound and outbound exchange organizations.

Ayusa is a 501(c)3, and an official U.S. Department of State designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor. Families interested in learning more about hosting a foreign exchange student can visit http://www.ayusa.org or call 1-888-552-9872.

About Ayusa

Ayusa International (http://www.ayusa.org) is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to promote global learning and leadership through cultural exchange and leadership programs for high school students from the U.S. and around the world. In addition, Ayusa administers multiple high profile grant programs funded by the U.S. Department of State and other organizations. Ayusa is a sister company of Intrax, a family of organizations that provide a lifetime of high-quality educational, work and volunteer programs that connect people and cultures. Intrax is headquartered in San Francisco with offices on four continents.

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Foreign Exchange Press Releases