The Exchange is a retreat for International and American students to connect, have a vibrant cultural exchange, experience defining moments, engage in deep conversations, and start relationships that will continue for the duration of their time in Auburn. The reasoning behind the name “The Exchange” is multi-faceted. On the surface it’s that we want this weekend to be a fun cultural exchange where internationals feel welcomed and they, as well as the local hosts, get to learn more about cultural similarities and differences.
3 out of 4 of international students never step foot in an American home during their time at college. This retreat exists to bring this statistic down by offering a simple opportunity for students to come together to cultivate those friendships that grow and last. As a cultural exchange, we want them to have fun experiences in our local cultural setting while also being able to share about their culture. Our hope is for many to become good friends and continue their relationships long after the weekend.
Similar to the goal of The Student Exchange, The Family Exchange exists to also offer a space where International and American families can come together to experience a vibrant cultural exchange. There are ample opportunities for parents to connect with parents and children with children, in hopes that relationships will build and flourish throughout their time living in the Auburn/Opelika area.
The expectation for local families is simple: we desire to create a space and take care of the entertaining and logistics of children with the help of local college counselors, so that the parents can focus on intentionality with the other local and international families. Our desire for this retreat is for families to connect, so we will do everything we can to set the table for this to happen.