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Original poster

Help! Exchange student - what to do all weekend?

19 replies

anyoldvic · 05/10/2019 11:01

We have a 14 year old boy with us at the moment and I have no idea what to do with him this weekend! Advice from.school was "let them experience normal family life" which is fine but we are generally quite boring at weekends because we have very full weeks (DS included)

They're playing a video game at the moment but the boy looks a bit bored. He's a whole year older then DS, and a proper teenager whereas DS is still quite small and young for his age and I don't think they have much in common. On the plus side, he's a nice boy and his English is good.

Any suggestions?

OP posts:
insanepizza · 05/10/2019 11:02

You could ask him?

Is he sporty or into art/ museums.

It slightly depends where you live as well!

Insomniacscientist · 05/10/2019 11:04

Some suggestions could include a local sports match, a museum, a cafe serving regional food.

SalamanderOnHoliday · 05/10/2019 11:07

Probably take him to a local sightseeing place and have lunch. Any other families with exchange students you could meet up with?

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Original poster
anyoldvic · 05/10/2019 11:11

We live in the countryside which doesn't help.

We going to take them into town later so they can go bowling and get something to eat. Maybe take them to the pub this evening for a quick drink. He's definitely not into art or culture, he likes football but we don't! I feel bad, hes a nice lad.

OP posts:
TheCanterburyWhales · 05/10/2019 11:15

Local places of interest?
Definitely meet up with other students' families if possible, if only for a pizza.
Unless they are animatedly communicating whilst playing the video game I'd encourage them not to do that

I work in the industry now (student travel and exchanges, not video gaming) and I had a miserable 2 weeks in Germany at 15 when very little was laid on and the family just left us to it

Keep them busy if possible.

AmyFl · 05/10/2019 12:02

See a film, take him to local tourist attractions, maybe meet up with others who he is also on exchange with.

Insomniacscientist · 05/10/2019 12:07

If he likes football I’d be inclined to make the effort to take him to at least one match. It’s a kind thing to do.

Coffeeandcrumpet · 05/10/2019 12:30

Surely you realised that by hosting an exchange student a weekend at home doing nothing wasn't going to cut it. You need to organise something to do, go and see something interesting locally, go to a football match, climbing place anything but you need to do something. I can't imagine not organising something in advance to be honest.

Original poster
anyoldvic · 05/10/2019 17:31

We were never just going to stay at home, it was about what to do that wouldn't bore him to death. They've been bowling and had lunch in town together today which was fine.

I'll suggest climbing tomorrow, I hadn't thought of that, they might be keen. And a pub/ pizza lunch

OP posts:
TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 05/10/2019 17:39

Depends where you live - if we had an exchange student, I'd try to take them somewhere "recognisable" in a tourist way, so they could go home and say they'd been to X. Mind you, we live near enough to Stratford and Oxford for either of those to be a possibility.

Etino · 05/10/2019 17:42

We did cinema supermarket café and church.

BubblesBuddy · 05/10/2019 17:51

I’ve had several exchange students - for weekends but for a term! You really have to plan to do something with them. It’s a bit late leaving it until now!

Go to a football match! It’s not about what you want. What’s the obsession with pubs? I never took exchange DC to pubs!

We went to football (students were girls) into London, to anything interesting nearby, to attractive areas nearby, Oxford (we are quite close), and the best stately homes! Shopping too. Theatre and cinema. Anything they didn’t get at home really. I also asked them what they really wanted to see. I would always factor in London or the nearest city. I liked to show them the best of our culture and that wasn’t the drinking culture in the pub or Italian pizzas.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 05/10/2019 17:51

Oh my goodness, I probably have this to come.

When I was on my French exchange we went to a wedding reception. Basically it seemed to be a free for all in the village. Luckily there was an English teacher there who told me what was going on and taught me to play boules with the other kids. I also ate apricots for the first time!

Try to meet up with another family if you can. Maybe an Escape Room or similar might be fun to do as a family or with others, especially if the weather is a bit rubbish.

Original poster
anyoldvic · 05/10/2019 18:14

None of DS's friends have a student staying unfortunately or if have jumped at the chance to meet up. The exchange group are doing a lot of the nearby attractions next week so that ruled out a lot of things for the weekend.

I can't bear the thought of a football match, that isn't normal family life for us so it's not happening! There's nothing wrong with taking them to a pretty country pub for a drink and some crisps on the way home from somewhere surely? I'm not talking Wetherspoons on a Saturday night. But maybe that's boring. There's a lpvely stately home near here I've never visited (we haven't lived here long). I can't imagine 2 teenage boys being enthused at that idea, but maybe I'm wrong. I'll put a few suggestions to them at dinnertime.I can hear them chatting in DS's room now so there is progress Smile I just want him to have a reasonable time!

OP posts:
pumkinspicetime · 05/10/2019 18:51

An escape room is a good idea, I haven't come across a dc that didn't enjoy those.
Otherwise a sports center, swimming, climbing, ice skating etc.
If the weather is okay were you are some kind of go ape activity or hiring mountain bikes if anything like that nearby.
Or a skate park if you are more urban.

Madamfrog · 05/10/2019 19:28

Go to a café or pub to watch the rugby world cup.

GameChange123 · 08/10/2019 20:54

English fish & chips?

Also le full monty Englsh breakfast

FoldyRoll · 09/10/2019 02:16

Any tips on what to do with very VERY quiet exchange students? Luckily they're only here a week and DD and her mates have been keeping their foreign counterparts busy but our two barely talk at all. They will answer yes/no questions but no more. They won't come in the living room, have to be coaxed out of their bedroom and apparently don't even talk to their own school friends.

DD was in tears this evening because she's at her wits end. She thinks everyone else is BFFs with their foreign guests (probably not true but you know how teens are) but now she's dreading the return leg.

Any ideas please? We've tried everything we can think of to make them comfortable and happy.

changedmyname24 · 02/05/2024 09:23

I know this is an old thread but it's interesting to me! We have a French exchange kid staying atm & he is very quiet! We are not a quiet family 😬 DS2 is autistic & cannot do quiet!

The boy arrived on Tuesday & I'm struggling already 🙈 Think the long weekend will be a struggle! Saturday is catered for as DH is taking them to a big football match then dinner. But don't know for the other days! He likes tennis & table tennis so might pack them off to a park that has those for a few hours. But then I'm stuck 😬

Doesn't help that he doesn't have much in common with DS1 so not much to chat about etc.

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