Fifteen years ago my brother's family, working through a church youth program, hosted a German high school student for a year. I'll never forget the day Martin arrived, because the whole family was together at Lake Michigan for our annual get-together. Within a few minutes of his arrival he had memorized everyone's names (19 adults and children) and could put each name with the right face! That made him an instant hit with our crowd. After his year in high school with my brother's three teens, they all visited him and his family in Germany, marking the beginning of numerous joint family adventures on either side of the Atlantic. Martin biked cross-country with his new American cousins, who later biked across much of Europe with him and his friends. They've gone mountain climbing together in the Alps, cooked delicious German pastries with Martin's grandmother, and picked up enough street German to get along during their travels. Martin recently married, but not before returning to America with his fiancée for a wedding shower and stag party, American style. The wedding took place in Ulm, in the breathtaking gothic cathedral there, with many American friends and family in attendance to appreciate a friend's original composition played on the ancient pipe organ that surrounds the altar.

Other members of my family have hosted exchange students from European and Asian countries. Not every student/family match led to a continuous relationship like we developed with Martin, but every student brought new dimensions to our lives. And it was a way to introduce our children to foreign languages and traditions within the natural rhythm of everyday life, rather than from world history textbooks. Despite its diverse population, American towns are still quite provincial in most places.

Many people have their first international exchange experience as professionals. I recently received the following letter from an American who swapped classrooms with an Australian teacher. He wrote, "One of the more refreshing ways to improve teacher effectiveness, and therefore student achievement, is through a teaching exchange. Not only the students, but also the whole school community gains new insights from interaction with a teacher from another part of the world. The school districts provided each of us with full benefits, and we arranged to swap vehicles, as well. Our salaries were paid by the sending districts. Our families loved the experience and returned with a wealth of pen pals and memories."

A few words to the wise to make your teacher exchange successful:

1. Request complete lesson plans
2. Correspond with the exchange teacher, if you receive your assignment soon enough.
3. Leave your most prized possessions and valuables locked up at home.
4. Give someone "power of attorney" to look after your financial affairs and home repairs while away.
5. Get detailed information about accommodations - photographs are worth the proverbial 1000 words.

Check out the following Internet sites for more information about student and professional international exchanges.

LINKS:

Teacher Exchange Programs

Exchange and Study Abroad Programs

Council on International Exchange

Teachers Helping Teachers with Exchanges

Bon Voyage!