Lucas was an exchange student with STS in Minnesota, USA in 2015/16. His family in Sweden has been a host family three times. Lucas has worked as a local coordinator (LC) in 2022 and 2023.

How many students have you been LC for?
I have been LC for four students; one from the US, two from Germany, and one from Brazil. They were all wonderful!

What does it mean to be an LC?
Being an LC means that you are a form of support for the exchange student and the host family. The responsibilities vary but the most important thing is to make sure that the exchange student and the host family are content. Being an exchange student is definitely not easy, but you as an LC can help make the experience great. This can be by having a coffee, going bowling, or whatever you think is fun. I also took all my exchange students paintballing with my younger brother who was also an exchange student. In addition to this, the job involves finding new host families. The STS staff is very supportive. I have always received help if I have had any questions or concerns.

Why did you decide to become an LC?
I can relate very well to both the exchange student and the host family and thought that I could contribute to a good experience. I have been an exchange student myself, my family has been a host family, and I have also worked abroad. I also felt that it could be great fun to do things together with the exchange students. It's been great to have my background, but you don't have to have the same experience as me.

How has the job affected you?
I have made new friends; my exchange students and I keep close contact even though I am no longer their LC. It’s also very interesting and fun to exchange ideas and thoughts about the exchange student's culture and compare that to how they experience Sweden. It has given me a new picture of both Sweden and the exchange students' countries.

Any major challenges?
The biggest challenge is finding good host families.

Any nice memory you would like to share?
I was the activity leader for the last activity before the exchange students went back to their home countries. It was super fun to hear how well many of them learned Swedish, I was completely shocked by how flawlessly one of the students spoke. Otherwise, I have found that all the visits to coffee shops where I have talked about life with my exchange students have been super nice.

Can you recommend being an LC?
Absolutely! It's a great extra job and has definitely been a good experience.

Do you have any tips for future LCs?
Being there for the exchange student and the family is most important. Try to do something with the exchange student every other month or so. It makes such a difference to the student's experience and helps you build a good relationship.

Are you still in contact with any of your students?
I keep in contact with all my former students.

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