The
big day has finally come!!! OMG!!! This post will be all about the airport pick-up.
Ready?
Start with checking in with your student the night before as their flight might be very early. Check in with them if they have layovers as well. Let them know you will be available throughout their trip. It’s always good to know that someone is there to catch you if you fall, especially if you are a teenager traveling alone.Also. If your airport is large to huge give them an idea of where you will be waiting for them. Try to make close to security (not in baggage) but somewhere that is plainly seen.
Most important. Make a sign! “Welcome Home to XYZ” or Welcome Name to the USA”. Decorate it, this is great thing to do with your own children to help them get excited for your student’s arrival. You don’t need to bring gifts or flowers to the airport itself, leave them at home for when they recover a bit and can fully appreciate the thought (plus it just adds things for you to carry and they might need some help with their luggage).
Be excited! Nothing would suck more than being greeted by people that don’t seem to care. I am not an extrovert at all, I keep my excitement inward, but on this occasion when they really need to see it I make the extra effort.
Now, escort them through your airport and get their luggage from the baggage area.
Fully expect them to be exhausted and nervous and maybe a bit shy. They might not talk a lot on the ride home or the first day at all. They may very well fall asleep on that drive home.
We always take them to get something to eat before heading home. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, or just a snack, we always feed them first. We generally pay for this meal too. It is a lot of processing going on in their heads so we want them to not be hungry and to not have to worry about where they placed their card and how much to tip and all that jazz. (This is our thing, do not feel obligated to pay for the food outside the home).
Then we drive home. Five out of five students are asleep by the time we get to the house (we have about an hour long drive between airport and home). So we let them sleep.
We get home, we unload the car. We get them through the door and introduce them to the dogs because they have jumped one everyone by now. Then we show them to their rooms and where the bathroom is.
At this point we let them decide if they want the tour now or after a nap/shower. Everyone so far has wanted the tour. So we give the tour and show them where they can find basic things (they won’t remember later, I promise, haha). They usually then go to unpack, take a shower, or take a nap. Or all three in various orders.
At some point they will stick their heads out and try to find you. Some students will be nervous in general or nervous about their English skills, so just encourage them to talk to you. Ask them some basic questions about their home, family, themselves. And ask them if there is anything they need or want to know. You will forget to show them something, I always forget at least one thing every year, tell them that. Tell them you might forget to tell them where something is or how to use something (like the shower) and then encourage them to ask you about anything they need to know. I heard a story of a student using a beach towel they brought for months because the host family forgot to tell them where the bath towels were kept and the student was too afraid to ask. Don't let that happen, encourage communication! But also remember that today will be exhausting and stressful for everyone so even if you tell them something they might forget by tomorrow, so go over everything again in a few days when everyone has had time to relax.
And now your year starts!