The Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS) provides short-term homestay programs at the beginning of the fall, winter, and spring terms. Incoming University of Oregon international students stay in a local community member’s home for 3-5 days. They then move to permanent housing in an apartment or dormitory.
This is what a Mexican student wrote about her FFIS homestay experience:
A host family to me means having a second family away from home, and also feeling safe and loved among nice people. Experiencing a new culture, settling down in a new country, and discovering the astonishing natural beauty of Oregon would not have been possible without my host family.
I have to start off by saying THANK YOU SO MUCH PETE and VINNIE!! Not only did we spend incredible times together, but both of you were also there for me all the time. Some of the things we did together that I am most grateful for and I will never forget are:
- movie nights, cooking and having dinner together
- amazing evenings going to concerts
- picking me up at the airport
- visiting the Cascades
- helping me with my school projects
- sharing our knowledge and experiences
- walking the dog
- meeting the neighbors and making new friends
- listening to my stories about my country and my family, and many more.
I am so glad I got the amazing opportunity to meet you!
If you’d like to host an international student in FFIS’ Homestay Program, contact Becky Megerssa, UO Liaison, at 541-346-1436 or ffis@uoregon.edu.
Comments(1)