Buffalo Grove Rotary Seeks Foreign Exchange Student Applicants, Host Families

Each year, the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club sponsors inbound and outbound foreign exchange students. The club is currently seeking families to host the inbound student for the 2020-2021 school year, and applications are also being taken for local students to participate in the outbound foreign exchange student program.

Inbound Foreign Exchange Student Host Families Needed: A typical hosting period is between three and four months, and host families are needed between August 2020 and July 2021. The responsibilities of host families are to provide food and shelter for the student. The Buffalo Grove Rotary Club will provide ancillary support and assistance as needed during the hosting period.

"Families are asked to help the exchange student become a part of their family during the period he or she lives with them," said Jing O'Brien, Youth Exchange Officer for the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club. "This means treating this young person how they would treat their own son or daughter and not as a guest - and exercising all parental responsibilities and authorities as you would for your own child."

Host families are NOT asked to entertain the student, clean up after them, or to be a 'taxi driver' - the student is required to adapt to the family's culture and not the other way around, and special meals or purchases, such as organic or gluten free foods are also NOT required.

Applications Being Taken for Outbound Foreign Exchange Students: Applications are now being taken for outbound foreign exchanges students, sponsored by the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club, for students ages 15 ½ to 18 ½ who attend area high schools; both short- and long-term exchanges are available. Short-term exchanges occur in the summer and last roughly six weeks, while long-term exchanges are approximately 11 months and begin and end in July or August, depending on arrangements made by the student's high school.

Students have a wide selection of countries to do their exchanges in, as a large majority of countries participate, with the exception of Australia, Canada, China, the UK, and any country deemed unsafe by the federal government.

The Buffalo Grove Rotary Club sponsors the outbound exchange students, and provides room, board, tuition and a monthly stipend as part of the exchange program.

To request an application to become an outbound foreign exchange student, or a host family for an inbound student, and for additional information, please contact Jing O'Brien at info@bgrotary.org or call (847) 902-1888.

To learn more about the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club and to attend a meeting as a guest, please visit bgrotary.org.