NBC 5 Local News Spotlight: Virtual Home Hospitality

Earlier this month, the Vermont Council on World Affairs was interviewed by NBC 5’s Lauren Granada to discuss ways in which Vermonters can continue to connect with people from around the world despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Since our transition to virtual exchange programs, Vermonters now have the opportunity to meet with international participants from the comfort of their own home through virtual sessions designed to exchange culture between Vermonters and people from around the world. While hosts no longer pick up international visitors from the Burlington International Airport, “we [now] have this unique opportunity to go into the homes of hundreds of people from all around the world,” says Patricia Preston, Executive Director of the Vermont Council on World Affairs.

“If you think about global warming, terrorism, migration, and pandemics, these are issues that are going to require not only global solutions but cooperation,” says Claudia Tetreault, a longtime home hospitality host and member of the Vermont Council on World Affairs. “If you can start by having relationships and opening a positive dialogue, that is a great first step.”

You can access the full NBC 5 segment here, and visit our home hospitality page to learn more about opportunities to engage with international exchange participants!