Students exchange programms have become very popular. As Corona has lost its major threat, young people are going abraod again. If you are thinking about spending half, or a whole year in a host family in another culture – be sure to check about about the right programm for what you want. The ideal age for spending a year in another family is between 15 and 17, depending on your personal situation.
The long term effects of student exchanges, long term, are very well illustrated in an extensive study by two scientists: Bachner and Zeutschel. Their study is available here:
A lot more scientific material is available, independent from organisations, such as:
Langzeitwirkungen_Praxis-Mai_2013
ZS Rahmenbedingungen verbessern_Broschüre
Take you change – it is so exciting, and so useful to really understand other cultures!