Exchange Students

Yes, there are some great students. We have had some. We have also had some who were not so great. One such girl was one from an Asian country. She turned 18 while she was here so her friend said she didn't have to listen to her host family. She lied to us. She came home after curfew. Then one day we got a call from the police. She had gone shoplifting. We didn't get the help we should have from our agency person so we brought her to her.
We have never been called by the police for any foster kid because they were shoplifting. We also had a student who was cutting herself, something we have never had a foster kid do.
Remember, foster kids can be as good as, or better than some exchange students.
I feel one of the biggest problems with exchange students is that they don't realize what a BIG change it is going from home where everything is familiar to a home where almost nothing is familiar. Language, showers, school, parents, siblings, and even pets are different.
I think the best students are the ones who can realize everything is different, they MUST be able to accept change, and they like to learn. They are the ones who want to be involved with their host family, even if it is to do a simple thing like playing a board game. They don't have to be perfect and they need to realize host families are not perfect.
I will write more in a day or two. Ask me some questions.