Please Read: Volunteers needed to Host Vegetarian International Students in DFW

March 9, 2010

Moderator's NOTE: Please check this organization out on your own. I am posting but have not done any checking. Thanks very much. MM

Hi Everyone,

I know this is not the norm of sending out emails, but I need help! I am an Area Representative for a non-profit organization, International Student Exchange (www.iseusa.com) and we need volunteer host families for Vegetarian International Students in the DFW area for the 2010/2011 school year. We have received an influx of vegetarian/animal rights students this year and need to find homes for these students. If you are interested in learning more about being a host family, please call me at 469-789-4987. From one Vegetarian/Animal Activist to another, thank you for your help!!

When you host a student, you and your loved ones gain knowledge about different cultures, languages and people from the comfort of your own home. Establish friendships around the world with this rewarding cultural experience. Share your family's traditions while enriching the life of a student. This is an opportunity for lifelong memories. Students will be selected by International Student Exchange from carefully screened applicants from Japan, Korea, China, Thailand,

Mexico, Brazil, Russia, and all over Europe. As of 2010, we currently have over 2500 students from 45 different countries that are waiting to come to America for the 2010/2011 school year! Your family benefits from experiencing firsthand the language and traditions of other cultures while opening doors to international opportunities.

What It Means To Be a Host Family

Consider what it must feel like to travel overseas to an unfamiliar country with a culture and language different from yours, away from family, friends and all that you are used to. It's exciting yet terrifying at the same time. Or perhaps take everything you have learned, all that seems logical to you and throw it out the door. It's a whole new ball game with a whole new set of rules. This could describe how one feels when traveling to another country. To have a family in that country that can offer guidance and support is crucial to one's positive cultural experience.

Besides support and guidance a host family is required to provide:

three nutritious meals a day

a separate room with bed (if a separate room is not available, then the student can share with someone close to their age and are the same sex â€“ a separate bed is always required).

directions for how to get to and from school.

The student will have $300 a month allowance to pay for anything additional that they may need/want (clothes, school activities, spending money for going out with friends, any special food that the host family does not normally buy, etc.)

The level of English, the age, cultural background and often the personality of your international student may determine the level of interaction your family would like to have with your student. Our students are independent and active in their communities. Although most international students are independent, there is an understanding that while staying in your home they should abide by the rules of the household as a family member would.

The benefits of becoming more culturally aware, making new friends, learning new languages and practicing your cross-cultural communication skills are all part of being a host family. It is an enriching experience that can last a lifetime.

If you are interested in learning more about hosting a student, please give me a call at 469-789-4987 or send me an email at Shannon.powell. I will answer any questions about the application process, what students are available, the requirements to be a host family, and all other inquiries. I look forward to speaking to you!