Spring Break
Host families help international students adjust to United States
Spring International Language Center provides intensive English and cross-cultural education
Taniah Tudor
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
One of the biggest problems for the program is not having enough host families for all the students, Bowie said.
"We are looking for hosts with open minds and open hearts, who are willing to take students from unfamiliar, unusual places," he said.
Host families range from single parents to grandparents to single older adults, Bergman-Lanier said. The program has a variety of families from a variety of backgrounds.
Such a family is Lea and Darryl Criss, a couple who currently host Firas Jamaludeen, an SILC student from Saudi Arabia, and Kazuki Kitajima, an SILC graduate and current UA student from Japan.
The Crisses started hosting students a little more than five years ago after a friend hosted a student from Japan. They have had at least 10 students stay with them for varying lengths of time.
Kitajima was 18 when he came to stay with the Crisses, and he has been with them the longest.
"We don't have children of our own," Lea Criss said. "For us this has been a wonderful opportunity to share with young people and give to them. We get the opportunity to have family. Our family is international. We have children all over the world."
Darryl Criss said they "try to give [the students] a sense of what America is really like, and one of our personal goals is to find out what these kids and their countries are really like."
The Crisses said they take the students on outings to places such as Eureka Springs and historic downtown Van Buren to see the mural of Arkansas history.
"We get a million times back what we give," Lea Criss said. "The learning experience has been priceless."
Kitajima said his main reason for coming to the U.S. was to pursue his dream of becoming a professional bass tournament fisherman. He is on the UA bass team and has been on the cover of Outdoor Arkansas twice for winning tournaments. He said he also has a job in the kitchen of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.
The Crisses said they try to encourage the students' interests and find out their likes and dislikes.
"We are looking for hosts with open minds and open hearts, who are willing to take students from unfamiliar, unusual places," he said.
Host families range from single parents to grandparents to single older adults, Bergman-Lanier said. The program has a variety of families from a variety of backgrounds.
Such a family is Lea and Darryl Criss, a couple who currently host Firas Jamaludeen, an SILC student from Saudi Arabia, and Kazuki Kitajima, an SILC graduate and current UA student from Japan.
The Crisses started hosting students a little more than five years ago after a friend hosted a student from Japan. They have had at least 10 students stay with them for varying lengths of time.
Kitajima was 18 when he came to stay with the Crisses, and he has been with them the longest.
"We don't have children of our own," Lea Criss said. "For us this has been a wonderful opportunity to share with young people and give to them. We get the opportunity to have family. Our family is international. We have children all over the world."
Darryl Criss said they "try to give [the students] a sense of what America is really like, and one of our personal goals is to find out what these kids and their countries are really like."
The Crisses said they take the students on outings to places such as Eureka Springs and historic downtown Van Buren to see the mural of Arkansas history.
"We get a million times back what we give," Lea Criss said. "The learning experience has been priceless."
Kitajima said his main reason for coming to the U.S. was to pursue his dream of becoming a professional bass tournament fisherman. He is on the UA bass team and has been on the cover of Outdoor Arkansas twice for winning tournaments. He said he also has a job in the kitchen of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.
The Crisses said they try to encourage the students' interests and find out their likes and dislikes.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 10
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posted 5/31/08 @ 5:33 PM CST
My daughter dated this past year an international student from Germany. He had some language issues initially but overall an incredibly nice young man. (Continued…)
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Sylvie Meis
posted 7/17/08 @ 2:02 PM CST
Very cool. Foreign exchange is such an eye opening experience for both the students and the hosting families. Both sides end up with a fresh perspective on the world, with a new sympathy for other people. (Continued…)
Qasir
posted 7/22/08 @ 5:26 AM CST
i am searching host families in germany.
Hoy
posted 8/05/08 @ 8:16 AM CST
Hey,
we are a family(parents with 3 kids from 14 - 22, leaving near Celle (near Hannover) and we are interested to host a boy or a girl from the USA. (Continued…)
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posted 1/26/09 @ 9:38 AM CST
We also know three families who have hosted kids from overseas. They all expressed that it was a great experience. Two of those families still keep in contact with those kids. (Continued…)
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posted 1/26/09 @ 9:40 AM CST
With our current economic situation I was wondering if international exchange is going to face some difficult times. Let's hope not. I think it gives kids overseas a better understanding that our families are very similar to theirs. (Continued…)
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posted 2/19/09 @ 11:15 PM CST
We've known several families who have hosted. Nearly all experienced great times with it. It's something my wife and I will consider in a few years. (Continued…)
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posted 2/20/09 @ 12:37 AM CST
i'm living in arlington tx. have been here in US as an intl student for three years...wud love to meet any host families, if any around arlington tx
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posted 4/28/09 @ 1:05 AM CST
The international student exchange program has been terrific. We met an exchange student last year and several friends who hosted. A great thing to do. (Continued…)
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