For those who want a deeper cultural experience, there are great ways to stay longer, learn through immersion, and maybe even make some new friends. Whether you want to explore more deeply a culture from your own family tree or get to know neighbors near and far, here are some exciting options to consider.​​
Summer learning communities have long been a way to expand horizons -- and they're not just for kids! Organizations such as the American Youth Foundation and the Y, whose missions include inclusivity and diversity, offer dozens of fun residential summer programs for youth and (surprise!) for families. Families can also find adventures that take them deeper into a specific culture, such as an Amish or Mennonite homestay; a Navaho-led adventure tour; or a bilingual and bicultural arts camp. For an old-fashioned feel, the sixteen still-vibrant Chautauqua communities, dating to an educational and social movement begun in 1874, offer classes, concerts and strolls through quiet, leafy Victorian-inspired neighborhoods. Or families could volunteer as campground hosts, or youths as summer volunteers, at an Appalachian arts community. You really can discover the world, close to home ... for a week, a month or an unforgettable summer.
Home and hospitality exchanges offer a unique, affordable and resourceful way to get a deeper feel for people and places you visit -- and offer return hospitality in exchange!
Connecting and planning can begin online through specialized website communities, helping you to reach out safely to others in a community you plan to visit. At HomeExchange, for example, members share basic info and pictures of their home, family and interests, and can then reach out to other members to discuss a possible home trade (each staying at the other's home) or hospitality stay (each staying briefly as guests with the other family). At BeWelcome, the hospitality might be just a shared meal in a restaurant or a short stay in a family's guest room. Though the listings for both sites are arranged by geography, not ethnicity, a little creative searching could find you, say, a Greek-American family in Astoria, NY or an Asian-American family in California who's as interested in your community as you are in theirs. Protected by the sites' security safeguards, you can take "walking in someone's shoes" a step further -- sharing space, ideas and energy to "walk" in each other's lives.
College is a great time to widen one's perspective and get to know other cultures -- and a semester abroad isn't the only way to do it! A creative and affordable alternative is to spend a semester or two at a U.S. college with a historic cultural focus, such as an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), a TCU (Tribal Colleges and Universities) or perhaps an ACA (Appalachian College Association). There are dozens of fully accredited options available, and they're a great way to learn more and build community ties. Typically, students apply for admission on a visiting basis, taking courses which may then be eligible for transfer credit to the student's home college. But who knows ... you might just decide to transfer permanently and stay on!
