New Zealand is a picturesque country and its people have a deep sense of community, which is why 50 International Exchange students have chosen to come here for a short, semester or year long stay. We are currently calling for local families who may like to host a student and share the beauty of our country. The relationships created are lifelong.

"We wanted to experience inviting someone to be a part of our family. We wanted to give our young girls a different experience and a wider view of the world. From the moment we saw Maya's huge smile as she walked through the airport gates to greet us we knew that we were in for a great year. We are not yet halfway through our exchange experience and so glad that the end is far away. Maya is our daughter and our girls big sister. We love having Maya in our family and have found a really lovely connection with her family back home too. Having Maya with us has inspired us to explore the country that we have so far taken for granted, and we love finding new treasures and seeing our everyday life through fresh eyes. Maya is an amazing, positive and insightful young woman and an awesome role model to our younger girls. Our exchange year with Maya will not end when she goes home she will forever be a part of our family. Thank you for giving us this amazing experience and bringing our wonderful Maya to us." The Ross Family, NZ

The Pick family were thrilled to have Danish student Alba stay with them. As commented by host mum Kathryn, "it has been a fantastic experience. I wanted my children to experience living with someone from another country/culture, and thought the experience for them would be more memorable and impacting if the student was a relatable age. We have thoroughly enjoyed showing Alba our beautiful country. The home-front has been entertaining also for us trying Danish foods, and getting Alba to taste NZ foods such as marmite, gold kiwifruit, pavlova and goody goody gum drops ice-cream. We have thoroughly enjoyed having Alba in our lives to share such a wide range of experiences with, and have learnt a lot from her in the process."

We are looking for volunteer host families across New Zealand to welcome a group of overseas students into their home in June and July for anywhere between 5 and 10 months. It is an experience that is often referred to as a way to reignite your passion for your home country, whilst at the same time creating bonds and sharing lifelong memories.

A hosting experience is an opportunity for both the exchange student and host family to learn firsthand about the world around them. It is a unique experience to discover another culture, share your family values, and make lifelong memories and friendships. Students become another member of the family, attend a local school, and are supported by local coordinators. They all have basic levels of English.

Student Exchange Australia New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Ministry of Education in New Zealand. For further information please visit our website www.studentexchange.org.nz/host-a-student/testimonials/ or call our Sandra Harders, Host Family Placement Manager on 0800 440 079.

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