Finland International Exchange

2009 Finland Month-Long Hosting Program

Teens from Finland will live with host families in California and participate in the family's normal summer schedule.  Host brothers/sisters should anticipate focusing on the exchange while their Finnish student is with them.

This Exchange Can Offer You:

• The joy of learning about another culture.
• A chance to discuss with peers of another culture issues of the day.
• The opportunity to develop long-lasting friendships, to become better informed on global issues and to better know and understand yourself.

More information will be available in October.

Host Family Application (Word) (PDF)
Host Family Description (Word)
Host Family Reference (Word) (PDF)
Timeline (Word) (PDF)

2008 Outbound Program to Finland

4-H teen leaders and older youth traveled to Finland and shared their summer with a family in the "Land of the Midnight Sun"!

Who Participated?

• Youth who are 15-19 years of age at the time of the exchange.
• 4-H’ers must be enrolled in 4-H by January 1 the year of the trip.
• Youth who agree to do some serious preparation, including studying the country and its culture and attending an orientation in the spring, and who are willing to participate fully and wholeheartedly in the total planned experience.
• Youth who are mature, ready and eager to explore, learn, and have a new experience.

Tell me more about the 4-H International Finland Exchange?

• 4-H members from the United State travel to Finland and live with a host family for approximately 4 weeks from mid-June to mid-July, .
• 4-H Finland Exchange is one of the programs that is facilitated by the States' 4-H International Exchange Program.
• Finland 4-H will select host families and make final host family assignments.
• An Adult Advisor will accompany the delegates and also live with a host family.
• Transportation to and from Finland will be on a commercial airline.
• We reserve the right to cancel this trip with full refund if there is insufficient participation.

Costs?

Delegates are responsible for all costs. A Fund-Raiser Guide is available as a resource.  In 2008 the cost was $1,400.00 plus roundtrip airfare. This covers pre-departure orientation, information on Finland, health/medical insurance, round trip airfare, travel and other costs in Finland, a portion of the working expenses of the adult advisor(s), and a portion of administrative costs.

Additional costs to be paid by each delegate will include:

• medical examinations and inoculations as per physician requirements
• passport, passport photos, birth certificate
• travel to and from the spring orientation
• small, inexpensive gifts for host family
• spending money and all other personal items