Traveling overseas or across any borders really is something everyone, including students, should do in their lives. It combats ethnocentrism and helps them gain perspective on the world and their place in it. And you could help make that happen if you host a foreign exchange student.

While there are programs designed to help pair students up with their host families, going through the program here involves a lot less paperwork and gives you complete control over choosing which student you want to invite into your home. The two of you can meet and communicate through the chat rooms or through video conferencing and you both have the options of doing background checks on each other to provide peace of mind and security.

If you decide to host student travelers in your home, there are some definite positive impacts it can have on your life and the life of the student:

• Help learning English - If you or someone in your family wants to get better at speaking, writing, or reading English, bring in a student from an English speaking country and have them act as a tutor in exchange for the room and board. By teaching, the student will improve his or her skills and may even develop a desire to became an ESL teacher

• Cultural exchange - Through interactions between the traveling student and your family, you'll be able to learn a lot about one another's cultures and about yourselves. Sometimes the most fascinating way to see your own culture is through the eyes of a foreign person.

• Travel companionship - Because the student is going to want to see as much of your area as possible, you or your other family members will have an eager travel partner. The student will also benefit from the companionship, especially in an unfamiliar city.

When you bring a foreign exchange student into your home, it's a great learning experience for you both. And by offering your home in exchange for tutoring or some other service you could be opening the doors for students who might not be able to afford such a chance otherwise.