The University of Idaho International Programs Office (IPO) has started offering a new opportunity for international students to engage with the Moscow community. The program, called The Dinner in a U.S. Home, pairs international students with local families who are interested in hosting students for dinner.
Mary Ellen Brewick — International Programs Office International Marketing and Recruitment division interim director — was inspired by Friendship Families, a similar event the IPO hosts. Friendship Families is a semester or academic year-long program that pairs Moscow families with international students at the University of Idaho.
Morgan Gardner, IPO’s International Outreach coordinator, said the Dinner in a U.S. Home program allows families and students to have the opportunity to connect without committing to a significant amount of time together. Gardner said hosts can cook dinner at their home or go out to a restaurant with their student guests.
“(The program) is important because it helps students learn about American life, it helps them make connections with families that can provide a support system, it increases cultural understanding and cultural exchange and it allows community members to the university and to the world at large,” Gardner said.
Students and families are paired based on what they tell the IPO about their preferences in the Qualtrics survey used to sign up for the program. IPO pairs two or more students up per household.
Families and students are paired on a rolling basis while registration is open. Some families have offered to host up to six students at a time before, but this is not a requirement.
“Food is like the common denominator,” Gardner said. “Everyone loves food. It’s a great conversation starter and a great way to share.”
Gardner said she thinks that community members play a crucial role in the program. She said hosts have the potential to help students feel comfortable, understand American culture and provide a welcoming environment for students.
“These students are amazing in that they have traveled a long way from home,” Gardner said. “Especially for first year students, that’s a huge leap. It takes a lot of adjustment to live in a totally different culture. This is a way community members can take care of some students, so to speak.”
This month has been a test run for the program, but Gardner hopes to bring the program back in February after Cruise the World, IPO’s annual event for students and community members to experience different cultures.
IPO has made 55 pairings between families and students this month. Some of the dinners have already occurred. According to Gardner, reviews of the program from students and families have been overwhelmingly positive. Pictures from past dinners can be found on the Facebook group page for the program.
Registration for this month of Dinner in a U.S. Home will be open until Friday, Nov. 30. More information is available on the Facebook group page, IPO’s Dinner in a U.S. Home Program.
lance johnson
This is a great idea because being an international student away from home is difficult, compounded by our complex culture and language problems. Welcoming and assimilation assistance must come from numerous sources, including the White House, to aid these young people embarking on life’s journey. Most struggle in their efforts and need guidance from schools’ international departments, immigration protection, host families, concerned neighbors and fellow students, and even informative books to extend a cultural helping hand. Something that might help anyone coming to the US is the award-winning worldwide book/ebook "What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A To Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More.” Used in foreign Fulbright student programs and endorsed worldwide by ambassadors, educators, and editors, it identifies how “foreigners” have become successful in the US, including students. It explains how to cope with a confusing new culture and friendship process, and daunting classroom differences. It explains how US businesses operate and how to get a job (which differs from most countries), a must for those who want to work with/for an American firm here or overseas. It also identifies the most common English grammar and speech problems foreigners have and tips for easily overcoming them, the number one stumbling block they say they have to succeeding here. Good luck to all wherever you study or wherever you come from, because that is the TRUE spirit of the American PEOPLE, not a few in government who shout the loudest! Supporters of int’l students must shout louder.