FOR STUDENTS GOING ABROAD, THE EXCHANGE STUDENT SURVIVAL KIT IS THE FIRST THING TO PACK! Study exchange has never been more important. Ask anyone who has been an exchange student. As we come more and more to realize how interconnected our world is, living for a time in another culture may be the most valuable experience a young person needs in the 21st Century. Students embarking on this life-changing adventure need tried-and-true advice. THE EXCHANGE STUDENT SURVIVAL KIT is the essential guide for young people interested in traveling abroad on an international exchange program. In an approach that documents each phase of the experience, it shows students how to avoid many common misunderstandings and problems that can occur in the course of their adjustment to a new culture, a new family, a new school and a new community. The book is full of examples taken from the experiences of dozens of exchange students from a broad spectrum of cultures and shows how to manage the unexpected "culture shock" and deal with the specific issues that emerge when immersing yourself in an unfamiliar culture.

As an exchange student, you receive the opportunity to experience another culture from the inside out. You live with a host family, you become part of the local community, and you learn the language. Even so, an exchange year is not one long holiday. It can be tough, and it may take time to adjust to the new culture and find new friends. In The Exchange Student Guidebook, author Olav Schewe presents a practical handbook to prepare you for life as an exchange student and help you tackle common challenges. Schewe considers understanding the basics of student exchange; evaluating reasons for going; choosing a destination country and exchange organization; living in a foreign culture; staying with a host family; finding new friends; and dealing with homesickness and other challenges. Filled with practical advice and tips, The Exchange Student Guidebook provides you with a foundation to make your experience successful and memorable.

Bettina Hansel has written a book specifically to help students understand better the unique experience of international exchange programs and to avoid many of the common misunderstandings and problems that may occur in the course of their adjustment to a new culture, a new family, a new school and a new community. Based on her years of research and professional involvement with AFS Intercultural Programs, Dr. Hansel has filled the book with examples taken from the experiences of dozens of exchange students from a broad spectrum of cultures. This is a valuable resource for American students going abroad or foreign students coming to the United States.

If young people are to be adequately prepared for a complex and interdependent global society, educational experiences must consider the broader world in which teachers and their students live. Teachers can be central to the process of intercultural development, and must encourage and model an intercultural orientation for their young students as well as for their communities. A critical dimension of achieving intercultural understanding and competence is personal experience. In Beyond Tourism, Kenneth Cushner examines the development of intercultural competence through various dimensions of student travel and intercultural encounters, both for the classroom teacher conducting group travel as well as individuals embarking upon student exchange programs, intensive summer experiences, and international student teaching. The author examines: aspects of cross-cultural orientation, trip planning and preparation, intercultural adjustment, in-country experience and post-experience impact through his experiences of organizing and leading international and intercultural educational programs for children, pre-service, and in-service teachers on all seven continents. Cushner integrates current research on the intercultural experience and relates it to his personal travel experiences while providing guidelines to enable educators to integrate reflective travel as an active part of the educational experience of young people. Multicultural, social studies, and foreign language teachers, international educators and study abroad officers, and those interested in experiential education will find this book invaluable.

Each year thousands of families throughout the United States and the world open their homes and hearts to international high school exchange studentsâ??sharing their own culture and learning about another. As these families face the challenges and joys of hosting, Nancy Kingâ??s and Ken Huff â??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.