Our online orientation resources are dedicated to expanding the educational horizons of YFU students and their natural and host families during the cross-cultural experience. The topics have been organized by their usefulness and relevance leading up to, during and following the exchange experience. Take your time as you read through each topic, reading ahead now and going back to re-read later.
These issues can be easily shared, downloaded, or printed using the toolbar above each issue.
Understanding Yourself as a Product of Your Own Culture
What is culture? How do you “learn” culture? This issue of Compass helps you to think about understand how your own culture affects how you view everything around you!
Understanding Foreign Cultures by Demystifying Your Own
Have you ever thought about American culture? Since we live in our own culture all of the time, it becomes a norm, but this issue of Compass helps you to think about American culture in a new way.
This issue includes lots of helpful resources to start learning about international exchange.
Learning About Your Host Country
Looking for more information on Germany? Japan? Or anywhere else in the world? Check out this issue for tips on exploring your host country before you get there!
Language Preparation for Your Exchange
Here are some ideas for how to work on your language comprehension and speaking.
Feeling at Home in a Strange Land
This issue gives you some good tips of what to do and think about when you first arrive to your host family.
From Visiting to Belonging: A Transforming Experience
This issue gives you some good tips of what to do and think about when you first arrive to your host family.
Two Cultures Together: The Adjustment Process
This issue discusses some of the challenges you will face during your adjustment process.
It may be surprising that you would experience culture shock later on in your exchange, but as your life in the host culture becomes more routine, sometimes this is the toughest part of the adjustment process. Read through this issue to learn more about culture shock and how to work through it.
Going Home Again: The Re-Entry Process
It’s time to go back home, and now that you’ve gotten used to living in another country, with a new family, new friends, and a new lifestyle, it may be hard to think about going back. This issue gives you some useful ideas for preparing to go home.
How to Share Your Teenager’s Experience
As your teenager goes abroad, we hope that you will take a deeper look into the world too! This issue will provide you with some examples on how to share your teenager’s experience.
What new values, interests, and skills are you bringing home with you, and how will you apply them to your life? This issue explores life after exchange!
Preparing to Share Your Exchange Experience
What will you want to share with friends and family about your YFU experience? This issue helps you consider and explore different ways to share your experience.
