Objectives:
- Cultural immersion with an American host family
- Improve English comprehension with emphasis on oral skills
- Gain knowledge of American rural and suburban life
Who: Students 11 to 17 years old
When: July and August (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 weeks)
Where: Rural and suburban areas in the North East
Lodging: American host families
Program Description:
The program is based on the concept of total immersion and integration of the student into an American family environment for the entirety of the student’s stay. Living with an American family forces the student to continually express himself/herself in English, constantly improving his fluidity and ability to understand spoken English. International students are treated as members of the family, actively participating in the host family’s normal routine. Families choose to host international students purely from a spirit of generosity and a desire to share their own culture while learning about others. As members of the family, international students may visit relatives, walk the dog or help around the house and garden, attend church, go shopping and go along on family trips. It is therefore important that students interested in this program be truly open to other cultures and able to adapt to changing circumstances. There are many different types of families that participate in this program: with or without children, separated, divorced or with different religious affiliations.
Students interested in participating in this program must understand that they are expected to share their home culture with their host family. Specifically, they should share home pictures, books, cd’s and cook a meal from their home country. The objective of this program is for international students to learn about the US and also for the American families to open their home to a different culture and learn about the student’s local habits, cuisine, music and other cultural cues.
Optional Program: Immersion for the Whole Family
This program is an excellent opportunity for the whole family to improve their English language skills while learning about the state of New York and New England. Children and teens attend a camp or language school with other American students during the day, while the adults receive general English classes with emphasis on oral comprehension.