Have you ever thought about how the exchange program works? Or how do students feel about changing parents? Milford High is pleased to have an exchange program with students from around the world. Students have the option of exchanging for just a few weeks, an entire semester or even the entire academic year and graduating with us. But we must first understand how the exchange program works.
“The program is offered through partner agencies and therefore serves students who are looking for a partner agency. These students can come from any country where partner agencies are present.” explains Ms. Allegrezza, the person responsible for the program.
Allegrezza also adds “The students at Milford High School students who wish to take a similar program abroad should seek out a partner agency in the country they wish to study in. They should also speak with MHS administration and the MHS guidance department to ensure that participation in this program will not affect the date of your graduation.”
One of the ways to participate without leaving your country, but still experiencing a different culture is by being a host family. A “host family” is a family who hosts foreign students in the destination country in their home.
“Families host students for a variety of reasons. Many families choose to host because they believe it will be a culturally beneficial experience and will offer their families an interesting insight into the traditions and customs of a person from another place. Families also receive a small stipend every months to offset the cost of accommodation.” says Allegrezza.
Most exchange students report that they like their life here and that they want to stay for more than a semester, some are even considering going to college in the United States. Unfortunately, one of the things they often struggle with at the beginning is loneliness. Often that feeling of missing home is very strong, but after a while, everyone says that it becomes easier to adapt.
The life of an exchange student is full of discoveries and challenges. From the moment they arrive in a new country, many changes and things occur that they would never have imagined experiencing. They will meet people from different cultures, traditions and habits. But everything is not always perfect, being in a country where they don’t know many people is not easy and there is always the chance of feeling out of place, but if a person gives it a chance they can have a unique experience.
