International Host Programs

I love hosting my IHP student, Alia from Egypt, in my home for dinner. Instead of just inviting her, I also invited her universities classmates who are also exchange students for the year. Alia also invited her American suite-mates. We had fun eating traditional American food and sharing about our cultures. All the students enjoyed being in a home away from grounds!

~Leanne

Tuesday, March 18th at 6pm
“Cooler By Design: The Economics of Building a Successful Environmental Policy” with Dr. William M. Shobe

Director of Business and Economic Research at U.Va.’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service

The program will be followed by a reception.
This is a free event. RSVP appreciated, but not required.
The Lorna Sundberg International Center is at 21 University Circle, two blocks from the intersection of Rugby Rd and Grady Ave.
Limited parking is available behind the IC and at the nearby Hillel building on University Circle.

For directions or more information: 434-924-7983, intlctr@virginia.edu, www.virginia.edu/iso/ic

On Super Bowl Sunday, Tom Leland hosted a party in his home for his
English Class students. 16 Chinese, including visiting scholars,
graduate students, etc. came to their first ever Super Bowl Party. In
the picture, Tom is trying to explain some of the basics of American
football. He did comment, however, that many Americans enjoy the TV
commercials even if they don’t watch the game. At this party, a good
time with good food was enjoyed by all.

Please join us Sunday, February 17th at 3pm for the International Center ’s Sundays at the Center Charlottesville Musician and U.Va. Professor, Heather Maxwell “Urban Ethno Neo Soul: U.S. – Africa ”

Dr. Maxwell will be accompanied by jazz percussionist Robert Jospe and keyboardist Lucy Kilpatrick. Enjoy a blend of world music that draws inspiration from traditional West African rhythms, instruments, and melodies. The program will combine performance and lecture, followed by a reception with food catered by Shebeen.

To learn more about Heather Maxwell and to hear her music, please visit her website.

This is a free event. RSVP appreciated, but not required.

The Lorna Sundberg International Center is at 21 University Circle, two blocks from the intersection of Rugby Rd and Grady Ave.
Limited parking is available behind the IC and at the nearby Hillel building on University Circle.

For directions or more information: 434-924-7983, intlctr@virginia.edu, www.virginia.edu/iso/ic

When we have international students or scholars, we like to do what we call “slice of life” activities. That is to say, we try to include them in activities we are already doing doing, so that that can see Americans “in action — slices of American life.

For example, because we like soccer, this year we took our visiting scholar to the UVa soccer games (luckily, he loves soccer, too). We had a lot of fun at the games, trying to exchange information on what the English names vs the Chinese names for various positions and plays: “Goal keeper,” ” penalty kick, ” “offsides,” etc. The love of a game like soccer translates across cultures extremely well.

We have also had fun taking our Chinese scholar to political events. I want to make clear that we are not trying to “convert” him to anything, in any way. We found that he was interested in the political process, and has enjoyed following the Presidential campaigns. He asked me “what is a Primary and what is a Caucus?” I find that his observations, made from outside our process, are very interesting, and make us think more carefully about issues as we try to answer his questions.

n Super Tuesday, I took our scholar, to a Primary watching party. Just by serendipity, we also met another scholar who had just arrived from England and was staying at the International House. We invited him to come along, too. It was quite a pleasure to listen to our Chinese scholar and our new English friend give their insights on the American political process!

Nancy Damon

This Thanksgiving the Sheffield family continued their tradition of participating in the Thanksgiving Meal Match Program coordinated by the International Center.

Watch NBC 29 coverage of their meal.

Fall around Charlottesville is one of the prettiest times of the year. At least, that is the assessment of two Chinese professors. Dong Chunyu (on the left), visiting scholar from Bejing Normal University, and Zhang Zhenhua (on the right), visiting professor from Yunnan University, and I took an excursion into the countryside to photograph the beautiful fall colors. Given the shortage of rain this year, I was afraid the colors might not be so vibrant, but all three of us were pleased with what we saw. It was a special joy for me to be able share this aspect of America with visiting friends.

Tom Leland

Every year, the Damon family takes advantage of the opportunity given us by the International Host Program to invite international students to our home for Thanksgiving Dinner. We have been doing this for at least a decade and have had probably about 40 different students. They are students we have not met before.It is easy for us, because we have always had a potluck at Thanksgiving with many people. My husband makes the turkey and mashed potatoes. I make the dressing and gravy, and everyone brings vegetable dishes, salads, bread and desserts to share.

We always find amazing connections. One of my favorites was a year that a graduate student brought his girlfriend from Rwanda (this was years before the genocide…she is now his wife). At the time, she only spoke French.We were struggling to communicate and she was a little isolated. Then another guest came with his mother, who happened to be a retired French teacher. So they happily spoke French the entire evening.

Another year, I went to pick up one of our students. He was waiting at University Heights, a very large apartment complex. I had his name, and knew he was Chinese. A young Chinese man was standing, waiting. I pulled over. He got into the car. He looked uncertain. After trying to say his name correctly, and not doing very well, I showed him the paper with his name written on it. He looked surprised and started to shake his head. We realized that he was not MY student, but was waiting for a professor to pick him up. He helped me find the way to MY student’s apartment! It was very funny in retrospect, though I felt kind of embarrassed at the time.

Each year, we have the great chance to meet new people and talk about things we never would have before. It has been a great joy to our family…and we have had some of the best food in the world.

We recommend this idea to everyone. You never know what interesting connections you will make.

Nancy Damon

Please join us for the upcoming event:

    “Explaining Darfur”

    Sunday, November 11th, 3-5pm

Former Ambassador from Sudan, Mohamed Zeinelabdin will discuss the Sudanese tribal system, the history of Darfur, and the present crisis in Sudan.

Please join us for what promises to be an enlightening and moving presentation.

We will have a sampling of Sudanese food at the reception following the discussion. RSVP appreciated but not required.

The Lorna Sundberg International Center is at 21 University Circle, two blocks from the intersection of Rugby Rd and Grady Ave.
Limited parking is available behind the IC and at the nearby Hillel building on University Circle.

For directions or more information: 434-924-7983, intlctr@virginia.edu, www.virginia.edu/iso/ic

I think the community host program is a wonderful thing.  It has made my settling down at Charlottesville and UVA much simpler. It gives me the confidence that someone is there to help me out whenever I need it. I would like to thank Mr.Steve Braintwain for the great help he has been to me.

Thanking You,
Anirban