Foreign Exchange Student - What American Foods Did They Like?

[grinningghost]

If you've ever hosted a foreign exchange student, what American foods did they really enjoy? Just curious, as our Austrian student will arrive on Friday.

Wondering what European teenagers like? Pizza? Burgers?

 

[grinningghost]

Bumping for the late night crowd - hoping someone can relate!

 

[SandiH]

If you've ever hosted a foreign exchange student, what American foods did they really enjoy? Just curious, as our Austrian student will arrive on Friday.

Wondering what European teenagers like? Pizza? Burgers?

We have had a variety of exchange students throughout the years and most of them have been very willing to try anything! All of the one's we have had ate pretty much whatever we were having. We intorduced S'Mores to two of our exchange students on camping trips. That was fun.

I was friends with a nanny from Holland and she loved cupcakes - she had never had them before.

Most exchange students are up for about anything or they wouldn't have signed up for the exchange! In my experience, if they didn't want to try something or knew they didn't like it - they very politely refused.

Hope this helps.

 

[grinningghost]

We have had a variety of exchange students throughout the years and most of them have been very willing to try anything! All of the one's we have had ate pretty much whatever we were having. We intorduced S'Mores to two of our exchange students on camping trips. That was fun.

I was friends with a nanny from Holland and she loved cupcakes - she had never had them before.

Most exchange students are up for about anything or they wouldn't have signed up for the exchange! In my experience, if they didn't want to try something or knew they didn't like it - they very politely refused.

Hope this helps.

It helps alot! We're all very excited for her arrival, and can't wait to introduce her to American food. I have to assume that some of the more popular American chains have locations in Europe too?

 

[saucymb]

I worked with International students at a large university, and we usually had an orientation week where we took them out into town for different things. They were FLOORED by the Wal-Mart SuperCenter (imagine 60 students from around the world riding a bus to Wal-Mart and being told they have two hours to buy their sheets, pillows, toiletries, groceries, etc. I was asked by one student if this was the "black market", as the prices were so cheap.). Most of the Int'l students came from larger cities, which is natural since that's where the Universities are, and had been exposed to American chains like McD's, Burger King, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and other Fast Food places. We took them to the beach and stopped at a seafood restaurant, which had a good variety on the menu, and everyone loved it.

Where in Austria is she from? From the time I spent there, I remember that I had no trouble finding things to eat that I like, and I am a very picky eater. Lots of meat-and-potato dishes, which won't be hard to find here!

I would just be sure to ask at some point in the first couple of days what kind of things they like to eat, if they have allergies, what is their favorite restaurant/food.

Oh, and our international students really liked the Golden Corral buffet.

Have fun!

 

[whimsey]

This thread really brings back memories. We've hosted 8 exchange students and it was interesting to watch their reactions to new foods. All the females were initially terrified of gaining weight. All of the students from Scandanavian countries swore to me they had never even seen or heard of peanut butter. One of them went back with a peanut butter addiction and 15 years later I'm still sending him Peter Pan peanut butter. The one thing they all recoqnized and felt "safe" with was pizza.
The first night Felix, who would become the Swedish peanut butter addict, was here we were alone, as the rest of the family had gone to a wedding. I stayed home because I thought it was just entirely too soon to expose the boy to that much of my family. We were a little awkward with each other because it was just the 2 of us. I ordered a delivery pizza and Felix thought that was just most American thing, he loved it, he called home to tell his family we were ordering a delivery pizza. Broke the ice in a big way! I'm sure he could have gotten a delivery pizza in Stockholm but for him it was just the perfect beginning to 9 months in America. Worked so well, I ordered pizza the first night for the rest of our exchange students.
Hope both you and your student have a grand experience!

 

[grinningghost]

Thanks guys! I had heard that pizza is pretty universal - so I'll make it a point to offer that first - as an "icebreaker" as you say whimsey.