International Education Week began in 2000 and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Department of Education. This important week is observed all across the United States and in more than 100 countries overseas.

IEW is an opportunity for exchange students worldwide to share with their host communities their cultures and highlight the benefits of international educational exchange programs.

Here is a list of suggested activities that you and your au pairs could do:

  • Schedule a Global Awareness presentation at your local school
  • Reach out to your local library and offer to have au pairs teach a few simple words in their native language or read stories from their native country.
  • Bring an au pair to your book group and have her talk about her country, challenges, differences and similarities…
  • Schedule a visit to a college or university with strong international program
  • Invite local citizens with overseas experience to a cluster meeting to discuss their carrier path and the importance of international exchange.
  • Organize a cross-cultural potluck
  • Schedule a field trip to a museum that focuses on international art
  • Help an international non profit organization collect supplies for a school, clothes or shoes for the students, sports equipment for their school teams
  • Organize an international movie night
  • Produce a video with au pairs about their cultural exchange experience. Some ideas are:

a)what do you expect to take back from your experience abroad?
b)describe a funny experience you had during this year-in school, with friends, with your host family.
c)describe the strangest thing you have learned about your host country
d)describe the biggest difference you see between your home and your host country
e)describe how your exchange experience has impacted you, your host family and your own family. Did you change at all? has it shaped your plans for the future.

Send us pictures and a write up so we can share them on social media. globalawareness@aifs.com