Throughout the summer, Chamber member WorldChicago will provide housing for nearly 100 international students and teachers for short-term U.S. Department of State-sponsored educational exchange programs.
Beginning with the U.S. Department of State Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program, various groups of students will stay with host families for one to two weeks at a time. The first delegation, visiting from March 17 to 25, will include 16 students and four teachers from Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
Other programs, including the U.S.-Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program; the London, U.K. Youth Dialogue Programme; and the Cuba Youth Leadership Program will present opportunities for the youth of those participating countries.
Students are ages 15 to 18 and are selected for these distinguished programs through a competitive, merit-based process. They will take part in educational programming on weekdays, with evenings and weekends free to spend time with their hosts or explore the city.
All participants will stay with local Chicago families to learn more about American culture, and host families will gain the benefit of a global perspective right in their own homes. These hosts will provide students with a bed, meals, and a glimpse into everyday life in America. Homestay hosts include families of all shapes and sizes: single professionals, retirees, returned Peace Corps volunteers, travelers, teachers, city dwellers, suburbanites, and more.
Click here to learn more about the program, or contact John Baum at jbaum@worldchicago.org or 312.254.1800 x100.