International Hospitality Programs

We’re doing great with Ji Dong. She is a delightful first-year and we’re having a lot of contact between e-mails and visits. Early on, we went to see her at her dorm room as she was getting settled. She gave us a tour of the area and the dining hall (which she loved!). We have had her to our house for dinner where she sampled American cheeseburgers (which she loved!) and met our two cats. Then we met her at Carr’s Hill for dinner last week and had a lot of fun—the weather was especially nice. At the end of the evening we took her picture with John Casteen (yes, which she loved!). She was quite eager to send the photo back to her mom and dad in China.

It’s a delight to get to know Ji. We will continue to watch over her throughout the school year and miss her in the
summer when she returns home.

We are enjoying our new student, Kimberley Lim from Singapore immensely.  We met her flight at Dulles Airport, drove her to our home where we had dinner together and she spent the night.  We then took her to campus and walked her through all the check-in procedures, moved her into her dorm and took her and her roommate out to lunch.  Somewhere in there we also did a shop with Kimberley at K-Mart and the next day took here to AT&T to get her cell phone activated and to Fashion Square Mall.  The first Sunday Kimberley and her roommate came to our home for brunch. We’ve been in touch a couple of times by phone just to see how she is adjusting.

 We also emailed Kimberley’s parents with a photo we took when we met Kim at Dulles.  I’m attaching that photo to this email.  We are thrilled with our involvement with the IHP program and find it very enriching with potentially life long friendships to enjoy.  Thanks for all you for this program.

Hope you enjoy some snapshots of our IHP Community Hosts and students from the 2008-9 season!

Response Summary

IHP Community Host Survey 08-09

24 out of 40 Hosts responded

For most of the participants in the survey this was their first year hosting a student.  Most participants also heard about the International Host Program through a friend.  80% of those hosting said that their student met their desires to learn about other cultures, to help when needed, and to share meals and American cultural experiences together.  50% met once every other month with their student/s, 30% once a month or more often.

The hosts unanimously reported that they were adequately prepared by the Community Host Forum. Among the IHP activities, half of the respondents participated in the Welcome Reception-Ice Cream Social for International students.  Just less than half helped out in the International Undergrad Move-in Day in August and came to the Fall Festival in November.  Almost 80% came to the Presidents Reception for International students in September.

A few activities that the hosts shared with their students were:

• Attending art exhibits
• Touring the area
• Eating out
• Shopping
• Meals at home
• Meeting for coffee
• Sharing Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Catching up on the phone
• Cooking together
• Moving in the dorm

Some suggestions for improving the program were to get more folks involved, to provide a half day tour of Charlottesville including sights and neighbourhoods, and to schedule activities at a greater variety of times and dates.

Almost 80% of the hosts plan on participating in the program next year or plan to keep in contact with their existing student.  A few not continuing were either moving or found they were over committed.

Thank you to all who participated in the survey.  We value your input!

International Host Program Board

Hello! I am Annabel from Singapore. When I first came to UVA, I was extremely afraid that I wouldn’t be able to fit in with the Americans, get used to the culture, be really lonely, etc. However, I am extremely thankful for the White family for showering me with so much love, care and attention. The first weekend when I came to UVA, they brought me for a spin around Charlottesville to show me the most beautiful and scenic places around. They also offered to drive me to places like Walmart and Target to get any essentials that I needed.

Their care and generosity overwhelmed me as they tirelessly offered to take me around, invited me over to their place, and more. Over fall break, Randy took me and a whole group of my friends to Washington DC for the weekend. We went on an amazing city tour at night, had delicious food, and did a ton of shopping (which of course, made us all extremely happy!). They also surprised me with lovely gifts for my birthday and Christmas, and basically made me feel extremely loved and treasured

The International Host Program is definitely a great way to help you with getting accustomed to American culture. It doesn’t have a huge time commitment, is very flexible, and of course, extremely fun. Here’s wishing all of you a great year ahead at UVA!

Cheers,
Annabel

President Casteen’s annual buffet dinner at Carr’s Hill for new international students and the International Host Program’s Community Hosts on September 8 proved once again to be a warm welcome to new international students and recognition of the administrators and community volunteers who work to promote their wellbeing.

President Casteen welcomed all of us to his and his wife Betsy’s lovely home and was there from start to finish greeting and speaking with what seemed to be most of the 525 attendees. Indeed, we found him talking with the last two guests as we were finishing up for the night.

We thank President Casteen for being a great friend and supporter and appreciate the fine work done by Tracy Smith and others on the President’s staff who make the evening so memorable each year.

The IHP Board of Directors

We so enjoyed the dinner with the eight nursing students and their professor who were visiting UVa’s School of Nursing from Taiwan. They were delightful—smart, friendly, and enthusiastic about meeting Americans and about sharing themselves and their culture with us.

Our thanks to IHP President, Tom Leland, and his wife, Sharron, who opened their lovely home to twenty dinner guests and to the School of Nursing’s Doris Greiner, Director of Foundation and International Initiatives, and Elke Zschaebitz, for thinking of the IHP and requesting that we be part of their guests’ American experience. We hope they will continue to do so.

Lisa Eorio and Cliff Maxwell

I recently returned from China after leading a team to teach English at Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming. Upon visiting the University for the third straight year, I felt as though I was seeing good friends again. The faculty in the Foreign Language Department (English) and students there are always hospital. Their kindness toward us and their willingness to be engaged in the classroom always makes leaving very difficult.

The weather in Kunming is always pleasant — which helps explain why Chinese refer to Kunming as the “Spring City.” It also helps explain why westerners enjoying living there part of the year!

One of the highlights of the visit was being asked to help judge an English-speaking contest one evening at the University. There were 24 contestants. While some of the contestants were excellent in their English and a few less proficient, I and the team had nothing but admiration for all of them being willing to speak in such a contest in front of native English speakers! They showed poise and ability.

Other highlights of the trip included a visit to a Buddhist Monastery in Dali, a Sunday morning visit to a church in Kunming, a visit to a special education school where the team made a financial gift to help buy uniforms for the students, a trip to the Great Wall and Summer Palace (Beijing), a meal in a Chinese home spending one-on-one time with
the students who really energized us, and simply enjoying the warmth and openness of the Chinese people.

The faculty made me promise I would bring a team back next year — a promise I look forward to keeping. It was a fabulous trip!

Tom Leland
President, IHP

I attended the Spring social and concert last Sunday at the International Center. I enjoyed the very personal guitar performance, international food, and opportunity to meet new people. I met an international student from Turkey which excited me since I have traveled to Turkey.

Leanne