Each day our society continues to change and grow.  With this growth comes a new challenge, teaching the youth in our society that this change can be a wonderful thing.  One way we can help our youth develop an understanding and become more accepting of other cultures and their customs is by allowing them to experience this through hosting an exchange student. 

This summer McCracken County 4-H had two families that opened their homes to an exchange student from the Japanese LABO Program.  One host family said “Participating in the 4-H exchange program was a great experience for our family.  My son and our exchange student became instant friends.  The cultural experience that both shared will last a lifetime.”  The second family described their experience by saying “We had a wonderful experience with our exchange student! We can’t wait to make another new friend this summer.”

Needless to say, these families had a fantastic experience and are very excited about hosting again this year.  The Kentucky 4-H International Exchange Program offers families across Kentucky the opportunity to learn and experience other cultures without ever having to leave their home.  This opportunity not only benefits our Kentucky families, but the Japanese youth as well.  The Japanese youth reported improving their English-speaking skills and learning more about American customs.