Host Family Survival Kit: A Guide for American Host Families

"We learned so much about [our exchange student] and Denmark, of course. But we also learned so much about ourselves, our family and the United States. Best of all, we learned how people grow - and grow up." - Host Parent

Each year thousands of families throughout the United States and the world open their homes and hearts to international high school exchange students - sharing their own culture and learning about another. As these families face the challenges and joys of hosting, Nancy King's and Ken Huff's Host Family Survival Kit will provide them with valuable information and advice to help ensure that their experience will be a success.

Authors King and Huff provide an overview of hosting, defining the role that exchange students play in the host family, outlining the skills needed by host parents and discussing the effect of culture on the host family/exchange student relationship. They then divide the hosting experience into nine stages, making recommendations on what to expect and how to handle day-to-day situations. Throughout, they include insightful quotes and pertinent examples from experienced host families. In this second edition, they have made major revisions to all of the original chapters. In addition, they have added two new chapters and three new appendices. The Host Family Survival Kit is an indispensable guide to the hosting experience, and will leave readers both excited about and well prepared for their role as host parents.

Nancy King and Ken Huff have many years of experience in the fields of intercultural training and international youth exchange and have worked in private practice as counselors and consultants.