A home away from Lakeland
Host families help international students adjust
Miho Kaimori
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: Features
International students of Lakeland College are having good experiences with local American families. The Host Family Program that Lakeland offers lets the students experience "standard" American family lifestyles.
To live in a different culture away from one's own country results in great experiences. For international students, home staying is one of the options for housing. It is an especially nice option for some students who come from countries where the lifestyle is totally different from America. Living with an American family while studying in the U.S. can be a meaningful experience.
However, Lakeland College does not offer the choice of home stays. The location of college makes it impossible to get to school from outside of campus without a car, which most international students do not have.
Many international students who experience staying at an American home said it was a great experience, and even after they went back to their home country, they stayed in touch with the family. Also, it helped to improve the English skills of students.
On the other hand, many international students get stressed because of home stays. Too many differences in lifestyles, habits, and the way of thinking can make the situation uncomfortable.
The Host Family Program is largely based on home stays. Students who want to have a host family fill out their information, and the college matches them with American families who applied to take part in the program.
Once the student and family meet, it is up to them if they want to continue the relationship. It's nice to be invited to dinner at a host family's house and to go places with them on weekends.
Moreover, during the Thanksgiving break, many of students in the program were invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Some international students have never celebrated Thanksgiving, so it is a good opportunity to experience the annual U.S. tradition.
"I'm having a really great time with my host family! They let me try American culture a lot. I'm so looking forward to seeing my family every time," said Hitomi Sato, a junior from Japan.
She also mentioned that she introduces Japanese culture to her host family, such as teaching them Japanese greetings. It is especially good for children to get exposed to other cultures when they are young.
International students can learn many things through a study abroad program. However, they cannot see what the actual American family lifestyle is just by staying on campus all the time.
The Host Family Program is helping make connections between students and American families and gives them a fantastic opportunity to know each other and their cultural differences.
Any international students wanting more information about the Host Family Program can contact Ryan Opahle at opahlerl@lakeland.edu.
To live in a different culture away from one's own country results in great experiences. For international students, home staying is one of the options for housing. It is an especially nice option for some students who come from countries where the lifestyle is totally different from America. Living with an American family while studying in the U.S. can be a meaningful experience.
However, Lakeland College does not offer the choice of home stays. The location of college makes it impossible to get to school from outside of campus without a car, which most international students do not have.
Many international students who experience staying at an American home said it was a great experience, and even after they went back to their home country, they stayed in touch with the family. Also, it helped to improve the English skills of students.
On the other hand, many international students get stressed because of home stays. Too many differences in lifestyles, habits, and the way of thinking can make the situation uncomfortable.
The Host Family Program is largely based on home stays. Students who want to have a host family fill out their information, and the college matches them with American families who applied to take part in the program.
Once the student and family meet, it is up to them if they want to continue the relationship. It's nice to be invited to dinner at a host family's house and to go places with them on weekends.
Moreover, during the Thanksgiving break, many of students in the program were invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Some international students have never celebrated Thanksgiving, so it is a good opportunity to experience the annual U.S. tradition.
"I'm having a really great time with my host family! They let me try American culture a lot. I'm so looking forward to seeing my family every time," said Hitomi Sato, a junior from Japan.
She also mentioned that she introduces Japanese culture to her host family, such as teaching them Japanese greetings. It is especially good for children to get exposed to other cultures when they are young.
International students can learn many things through a study abroad program. However, they cannot see what the actual American family lifestyle is just by staying on campus all the time.
The Host Family Program is helping make connections between students and American families and gives them a fantastic opportunity to know each other and their cultural differences.
Any international students wanting more information about the Host Family Program can contact Ryan Opahle at opahlerl@lakeland.edu.
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Homeowners Insurance Charities
posted 2/26/10 @ 6:17 PM CST
This is such a wonderful program and helps those in need, even when they are further away from home than they have ever been. Way to step up and help. (Continued…)
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