Homes needed for cultural exchange program
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Students from all over the world are hoping to get the chance to come to Montana and experience this country.
“They have dreams about what this country is like and they want to come experience it,” said Hot Springs International Cultural Exchange Services local coordinator Nancy Winebrenner.
Although – a handful of kids ranging in age from 15 to 18 might not get the chance this year. “We are still trying to find homes for amazing students that want to achieve their dreams,” she said.
Students from Germany, Brazil, China, Spain, Norway and others are hoping to get a phone call saying a host family is ready, so Winebrenner is encouraging anyone that wants to support international students to sign up for the program.
She has placed about 30 students in the past seven years in homes from Plains to Ronan.
“I place them with families that give the students a home and treat them like one of their own,” she said.
The students stay with their host family for one school year from August to June. The host family parents or parent needs a background check, application, and interview.
“I meet the family and try to find the best fit; if we have an outdoorsy student, I try to find them an outdoorsy family so they have an enjoyable time,” she said.
Occasionally, a few students out of dozens were not a good fit.
“I’ve had to place a few with another family,” she said. And there is always the option of sending a student home if problems don’t work out.
And like everyday life, things can happen. Tragically, Norwegian exchange student Elisabeth Lenes died in a snowmobile accident several years ago in Plains. Her father set up a scholarship program to bring students to Norway to help continue the international exchange program.
While students live with their host families, they attend American high schools.
“Our education system is different than other countries,” she said. “The students want to experience high school in American.”
One of the biggest differences between American schools and many other countries is that sports outside of this country are often separate from school.
“We have a lot of students that are excited to participate in sports here,” she said.
Winebrenner said sharing languages is one of the things many families enjoy. She said one student came to this country and wasn’t able to speak much English. He went on to become an international lawyer after developing his language skills as an exchange student.
Karen Evans of Hot Springs has been a host parent to two students in the past from Germany and Norway. She said she still has contact with the boys.
“They became part of our family,” she said. Becoming a host parent was a way for her to deal with an empty nest.
“My son graduated from high school and I needed to have kids around,” she said.
Sharing different styles of eating was a treat for her family, although she wasn’t sure about a few food items.
“The boy from Norway brought caviar,” she said, which is more common in his home.
“The boys were both interested in school sports.
“Sports gave them a feeling of belonging to the community,” she said.
And she has some advice for future host parents.
“Give them lots of love.”
For more information on becoming a host parent, call Winebrenner at 406-741-3376 or through email at nancy2winebrenner@yahoo.com
