Negotiating Host-Student Interactions: Some Thoughts from the Tip of Africa

In: African issues, Band 28, Heft 1-2, S. 89-92

Abstract

Maria had been with her homestay family for 10 days when she found out that her host mother and brother were HIV positive. She asked to be moved, and the program directors complied. Another student, on another program, declared his HIV-positive status on his application form. Under American law, AIDS is not a reportable disease, and confidentiality policy obligated the director to place the student without informing his host family of the risk or educating them about precautions. What messages are we sending? Are the lives and legal principles of international students superior to those of the host nationals?