Janka’s main interest are the performing arts, particularly music, as well as spending time with family and friends. She is a soloist in the choir of her high school, which specializes in music education, and plays both the acoustic and electric guitars, having picked up the instrument more than eight years ago. She is also a member of a guitar ensemble and sings and plays the guitar in a local band that has had a few public performances. Janka invests a lot of time into practicing and has played the flute for five years as well. Additionally, she enjoys acting in her drama class, taking ballroom classes at a dance school, as well as attending concerts and plays. At home, Janka is used to helping with household chores, home improvement projects, and yard work. She sometimes takes care of her little cousin. Although Janka has not had much time for sports recently, she is still a member of a local lifeguard squad and swimming club. She has also helped beginners of horseback riding as an attendant at a riding court. Her interests include photography and photo editing, bicycling, jogging, skiing, tennis, handball, weaving, reading (mostly fantasy) and shopping. Janka is a friendly, outgoing, reliable, and independent young woman. Janka’s native language is German. She speaks good English and has studied the language for eight years. Janka earns average to good grades at school and has also studied Latin (four years) and Italian (one year). Her favorite subjects include Music, English, Chemistry, History, and PE. In the future, she would like to study medicine and become a surgeon. Janka lives with her mother, who is the director of a special education school. Her father passed away when she was five years old. Janka has a cat as pet and does not have any allergies. Janka writes “I think when I would stay in the USA it is likely that I live there as one under many and not as a single one amongst all others; and I hope to get in contact with other coloured of my age and talk about my experience with that fact and discuss the others about their experiences and growing up.”

–
Marge Ryan, Regional Manager NWSE
Phone 262 245 5717 Fax 800 613 5105
Skype Marge.Ryan   www.nwse.com
NWSE Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV0RxoiH07c
NWSE is a Department of State-designated nonprofit organization listed with CSIET

NWSE Hosting Information
Almost anyone can host:  traditional families, couples without children, couples whose children are grown, single parent families.

Hosts should be able to provide a caring and safe environment to the participant.

Hosts should have a genuine interest in learning about foreign cultures and meeting new people.  There should be a genuine desire to make the exchange experience mutually beneficial for both the exchange participant and the host.

Hosts and other individuals living in the host home should have no evidence of past or current criminal activity, alcoholism, drug abuse, child abuse, or other unacceptable activities.

Hosts’ homes – Should be located in areas that offer the participant a high level of safety.

Participants can have their own room or share a room with a family member of the same gender and close in age to the participant.  Sharing a room with a family member under the age of 8 is not possible.  Participants require their own beds as well as adequate space in which to study and store personal belongings.

Hosts should provide participants a tour of the entire house and explain the guidelines in the home.

Host Responsibilities –

Maintain open lines of communication with the student.

Make sure the student always knows how to contact the host parent(s).

Provide room and board for the students.  Hosts are not compensated for hosting but are eligible for an income tax deduction.

Provide a tolerant and accepting environment toward the practice of religion.   Proselytizing is not permitted.

Communicate with the local NWSE academic coordinator on a regular basis and also ensure the participant can communicate with the NWSE area coordinator on a regular basis.

Assist the participant in becoming a family member, not a boarder or houseguest.

Show flexibility and support.

WHEN YOU HOST an exchange student, you become an active participant in the world community!  You and your family have the opportunity not only to share your life, values and culture with an international student; you also absorb and better understand the life, values and culture of another country—and without having to travel long distances!  In our contemporary world the practical distances between people are ever shrinking.  It’s more important than ever to understand, respect, and work with our global neighbors.  Hosting also creates the opportunity to form life-long friendships.

Hosts are not financially compensated for hosting. However, it is fun and enriching to have a new family member sharing your activities. They are not just tourists!  Exchange students are eager to become true members of their new family, school and community. Your student will want to take part in school activities (sporting events, dances, clubs, drama, etc.), or in a county fair and local or regional festivals.  Many host families become lifelong friends with their students, and sometimes visit them in their home countries.  And if you have children they will have the opportunity to hear another language or improve their understanding of a language they are already studying!