If you are looking for a way to expand your world, take a look at this website AFS . AFS is a wonderful exchange program that allows high school age children to experience living life in the home of a family from a different country. We currently have a student from Finland living in our home. It is amazing how small the world is becoming with the use of technology.
When AFS started 90 years ago, children that came to live in host families in the US had very limited contact with their birth families. Those children looked to their host families for everything because they were the people that would be able to assist them in meeting their needs. This year, our student has an e-mail account, a facebook page,Skye and a cell phone to name a few of his "connected toys". He can literally talk to someone from back home every day if he chooses.
I see technology having a huge impact on the experience of these kids, both positive and negative. They may not be as homesick due to the readily avaiable communication - yet it can get in the way of their "bonding" as quickly with the host family. Children will sometimes turn to their birth family to help them through their struggles in the host family community when it may be more effective to ask thier host parents.
We have grown as a family already and look toward seeing how technology will impact us as our student settles in and than when he leaves..... what I do know is that he is making friends and taking up valuable computer time for the rest of us!
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2 comments:
I have to say that I'm really impressed by your generosity to open your house to a foreign exchange student.
I never thought about the use of technology to keep connected for these students. I'm sure that the isolation from their home country would force them to bond with their American family; whereas, being able to stay connected I'm sure helps with the transition.
Good luck with the rest of the school year.
I had never thought about how technology might impact a foreign exchange student's experience. At first, I thought of all the positives. Back in the "olden days" loneliness was a HUGE factor. Being able to talk to parents and friends back home might have been helpful. But you're right, it might be hindrence. What if the exchange student avoids friends here because he/she can connect with friends from home so easily? I guess the old rule of "everything in moderation" applies to new technology, too. There has to be a balance between using technology as a bridge or a crutch. Too much of anything is probably a bad thing.
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