German Exchange Information For Parents
This program is a direct family-to-family exchange. You will host a German student in your home from late August to November. That student’s family will then host your child in their home from mid March until the end of May.
What You Need to Provide
Hosting a German student in your home can be a wonderful experience. It allows a BC host family to become familiar with another culture and world view and provides opportunities otherwise untapped. Host families are to provide a safe, nonthreatening, respectful, and appropriate environment to promote mutual friendship and trust between the host family and the BC and German exchange students. Hosting parents assume all responsibility for the German exchange student, who must be treated with the same care and supervision as their own child.
Things to Consider:
- There must be an appropriate space in the home for another adolescent. A separate bedroom is desirable but not essential, a separate bed is essential.
- Incoming students cannot be hosted in homes that have alcohol, drug, substance abuse, or other problems that may cause an uncomfortable or dangerous situation.
- All people 18 and older living in the host home must complete and pass an online Criminal Records Check.
- Parents and exchange partner are required to meet the German exchange students at the airport upon their arrival in BC and deliver the student to that same airport for departure unless other arrangements have been made and approved by the BCHLA.
Incidental Costs
The custom in the BC – Germany Exchange Programme has been that families “exchange” their children and therefore provide what they would normally provide for their own children in terms of personal and basic school supplies. Specialized school supplies (such as scientific or graphing calculators, art supplies, costumes for Drama) are the responsibility of each student. Students who wish to purchase school photos and yearbooks should expect to do so at their own expense.
The expected school-participation fees are to be borne by the host family. Discuss this with the BC school liaison teacher. Note that schools usually pro-rate participation fees. The BCHLA exchange coordinator will be able to answer questions regarding those fees.
Host families are encouraged to provide cultural and recreational experiences for the German exchange students that might include some travel within the province. However, there are no minimum expectations. Host families should plan only what suits their individual schedules and resources. If a family excursion is planned that may take the German exchange student out of school, the BC school liaison teacher should be notified as soon as possible. Trips should be short in length and should take as little time from school as possible.
Travel in Germany
The BC exchange student may participate in supervised school field trips. If the German host family plans an excursion that may take the BC exchange student out of school, the BCHLA must be notified in advance by email. No travel should occur without students first consulting both the parents and the BCHLA. Students are not permitted to travel on their own.
Parents should not visit their children during the time their child is on the exchange as this is contrary to the spirit of the exchange which is for the student to become totally immersed in the German language and culture.