Jun 18, 2014
Jump pillow!!! W/ @nokizzz ! #sister #cetusa #exchangestudent #awesome #fun (at Woodchip Campground)
seen from Israel
seen from Denmark
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Bulgaria
seen from Syria
seen from Indonesia
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from Russia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from India
seen from Malaysia
seen from Ghana
seen from China
seen from Pakistan
seen from United States
Jump pillow!!! W/ @nokizzz ! #sister #cetusa #exchangestudent #awesome #fun (at Woodchip Campground)
#GrandRapids office on a beautiful Friday. #cetusa
Interview with a Host Mother
Recently, CETUSA ran a video contest promoting the experiences of our foreign exchange students, as well as their host families. One of our students, Maddie, interviewed her host mother about what her experiences hosting multiple foreign exchange students were like.
In order to get this amazing interview out to everyone we possibly can, I thought it would be helpful to transcribe the interview, as well as posting the video along with it, on our blog!
Why Would You Choose to Host an Exchange Student?
I chose to host an exchange student because I thought it would be a really good experience for myself, as well as for my children to learn about people in other countries and their cultures. I thought it would be fun too more than anything, to have somebody new around that we could teach things to also, that had no real experience with our culture.
Was it difficult to pick a student?
It was really difficult because there are so many different kids to pick from, and they come from so many different backgrounds. Just deciding what country sounds interesting? What culture do I want to learn about? What kid do I think would be a good fit with my family, based on the letter that the student writes. It is really difficult to pick, but sometimes you can read one of their letters and you’re like “I know that’s the right one! They will be perfect with our family!”
What have you learned about the countries that you’re hosting students from?
I’ve learned A LOT about the different countries and cultures. Before I started hosting exchange students, I had no idea that Montenegro was even a country, I had never heard of it! I learned a ton about that country, and the civil unrest that went on there. I really found that there are things that are normal here are not normal in other countries, or normal in other countries and not normal here, and the differences may seem “weird” to them or “weird” to us. I’ve really learned a great deal about those differences.
Did You Learn Any Words In Your Student’s Languages?
I have learned a few… some of them are kind of fun, and some of them I shouldn’t repeat here… But yeah! I’ve learned a few different words!
What is your overall experience hosting an exchange student?
From my experience in hosting exchange students, besides all of the interesting things that I’ve learned about different countries and cultures, I’ve had a wonderful time meeting new people. The students really become part of your family and part of your life. When they go home, all you can do is cry because it feels like you’re missing part of your family. I know that I have a lifetime of love with somebody in another country. I can keep in contact with them and continue to grow that relationship.
If you’re a host family, and want to send us what you love most about hosting exchange students, and participating in a wonderful cultural experience, please contact us through one of our social media platforms so we can hear your story!
Contact CETUSA!
CETUSA.org
Cultural Activities! Part 1: Baseball
While you are in the United States, whether you are a student on a high school program, a host family looking for ideas of things to do with your exchange student, or an intern or trainee on our program, we like to provide you ideas with things to do that you may not be able to experience in your home country. Over the next few weeks, we will be bringing you a few ideas on activities that you can do that are quintessentially American.
One of my favorite activities to do in the spring and summer is attend professional baseball games! Known as "America's Pastime" baseball has been a staple of American culture for over 150 years. The first organized baseball game took place in New Jersey in 1846 and has been a part of American culture ever since.
Today, professional baseball is considered one of the "Big Four" sports in the US, along with American Football, Basketball, and Hockey. The only sport that takes place during the summer months, baseball is often seen being played in every town in the country.
Attending a professional baseball game is a blast on warm summer nights. Under the lights of the large baseball stadiums, the crack of the bat on the ball echos loudly every time contact is made. Every baseball game is unpredictable, as the difficulty level is very high.
Major League Baseball is the professional league in the USA, and there are teams in most states! If you are close to a team, do yourself a favor and attend a game. Tickets can be purchased for as little as $15, and it is sure to be a very exciting experience that you can bring back to your home country!
Contact Us!
CETUSA.org
Google+
Gifts for your Host Family!
As the end of the school year fast approaches, you may need to start considering your departure from the United States. One thing you might consider doing before you leave is getting a gift for your host family. As they have so generously opened their home to you, and been there for you to answer any questions about the United States it might be nice to get or make them something special.
After reaching out to some host families and students I have come to the conclusion that the things that are most valued are not gifts that you need to spend a lot of money on, but something that is possibly handmade, or sentimental.
Multiple families told me that the most prized possessions they have received from their exchange students are photo albums chronicling their time in the United States. If you have any particularly funny, memorable, or exciting experiences that you have taken pictures of get them printed out! Giving someone something physical to look at really helps bring back the feelings they have about their experience hosting you, and it is something they will cherish forever!
Another simple, and inexpensive idea is to make a card or note! Sometimes words go a lot farther than physical objects when it comes to thanking people that you are very close to! A card, or letter detailing your favorite parts of your year with the family, memories that stand out more than others, and other great experiences you had in the United States. Reminders of these stories will help your family remember the joys of hosting you and maybe even encourage them to host an exchange student again!
One more idea is something very simple that someone pointed out to me, encouraging your family to host again is an amazing gift that you can give them. If you had an amazing time with your host family, wouldn’t it be great if another student could share in that fun?
These are only a few simple ideas on what to get your host family before you leave for home. But just remember, the best gift you could have ever given them was you being a part of their family for a school year. Your presence will leave a lasting impression on them, and has taught them so much. Because of this there is no need to get something fancy or extravagant, just a small memento of the time you spent together.
If you need any more ideas, feel free to contact us through our social media pages!
Contact Us!
CETUSA.org
CETUSA's School Visit to Tanzania- Contest for Teachers! Deadline Extended to May 8th!
If you haven’t already heard, CETUSA is sponsoring a contest designed for High School Teachers and their students. If you, a family member, or a friend knows of a teacher who would be interested in competing to earn the experience of a lifetime, please pass this along to them! “What is this experience?” you may ask. The teacher who wins this contest will receive a 10 day, fully paid trip to Nzega, Tanzania through the submission and selection of an essay written by one of their students. The winning teacher will depart the US on August 4th, 2014 and return home on the 15th of the same month.
The student who has their essay selected will receive a $500 Visa gift card, and five other student finalists will each win a $100 Visa gift card.
The winning teacher will be travelling to one of the poorest areas of Tanzania to visit schools sponsored by CETUSA’s partner the AiDucatius Foundation, and will be meeting the students and learning about the community. What will become apparent during the teacher’s trip, is that education for most of the children they will be interacting with is a luxury they fight every day to be able to obtain. Education is sparse, and as many of these children are orphans, they often have to work every day to obtain the essentials to survival. CETUSA is helping AiDucatius provide schooling to children who never thought it was possible, and in an effort to promote education and awareness of the conditions in Nzega we are inviting your teachers to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Steps to Enter:
Interested teachers will provide a lesson to their class on the presence and causes of poverty and hunger around the world. This can serve as a brainstorming session to get the students thinking about points to include in the assignment. *We encourage competition! Multiple teachers from the same school can compete!
Teachers will assign their class an essay on the importance of education for individual and community well-being (Maximum of 1500 words)
Teachers will choose the essay that best represents him/herself in the contest. The essays should be submitted with the instruction form linked below to [email protected] by May 8th, 2014
To save the instruction Form, right click on the image, and hit save image as.
The winter will be announced May 22nd on the CETUSA website, and via e-mail and phone!
After the trip, it is our hope that the teacher will make a presentation on their experience, and the importance of education as a way to reduce poverty and increase individual and community well-being. CETUSA believes that through education we can reduce the amount of hunger in the children of the world. Through this experience, we hope to spread the stories of the Tanzanian children.
For more information, please contact [email protected]!
Contact Us:
CETUSA.org
The Importance of Diplomacy in Host Families
What potential host families don’t always realize when hosting a foreign exchange student, is that they are not only influencing their student’s view of the United States, they are also influencing the student’s hometown, and even home country’s perception of the United States as well. It is because of this that host families are seen as “Diplomats” of a sort, and have a duty to make sure that their host student has as great of a time in the United States as possible. It is this positive experience that the student will bring home that makes exchange programs so valuable to the United States.
The US State Department puts great emphasis on these ideas, and describe this process in 3 steps, that I will walk you through!
Country to Country
People from other countries often have a perception of the American lifestyle portrayed in the international media. This portrayal often does little to boost the image of the United States in international eyes. We, as Americans, are often seen by others as exactly what the media portrays our country. This image however, is quickly shattered once the student arrives in the home. On many cases I have heard that students have had a preconceived idea of the people of the United States, but that idea was proven incorrect upon meeting their host family. When you welcome a student into your home, they realize the two cultures are not that much different, and the family is basically the same between their country and the United States, with just a few customary differences! It is this realization that the student will take back to their home country.
Culture to Culture
In this step, the host family acts as the facilitator for the exchange of ideas between cultures. Not only are you teaching your student the cultures and customs of the United States, but they are teaching you the culture and customs of their home countries. This leads to the “exchange” portion of the “Exchange Student Program.” Many people think that exchange means that the students are what is being exchanged, when in reality the exchange that is taking place is the swapping of ideas, culture, and customs. The family and home is where this cultural exchange begins, and you, as a host family, will be there to answer any questions your student has regarding the culture of the USA, and in turn, will be the first people they share with how their own cultures differentiate from your own. From there, your student will take your direct explanations home to their country, while you take theirs to your friends and family.
Community to Community
The third, and arguably the most important, goal of the foreign exchange programs in the United States is that the student will go back to their home country, and share the positive experiences they had immersed in the culture of the United States. Some of the aspects they often report to bring back to their home country are the ideas of community service and volunteerism. These aspects of the culture help shine a positive light on the people and culture of the USA, which then breaks the stereotypes that are often portrayed in the media. The host family, as well as anyone who knows the student, will also take aspects of their culture, and then apply that to their own lives. This experience creates a greater cultural understanding on both ends, and creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the cultures.
It is for these three reasons that the host family is not only important because they provide a place to stay for an exchange student, but because they are the primary “ambassadors” for the message of the exchange student program as a whole. Not only should you feel great about hosting an exchange student to provide them the opportunity to experience a new place, you should also take pride in serving your country in helping spread a more positive attitude towards it. As a host family, parent or sibling, you are the primary resource of American culture to your exchange student, and by creating a positive experience you are helping yourself by experiencing a cross cultural program, your community by aiding the introduction of new customs and ideas, and your country by exuding a positive message of the American way of life.
If this amazing opportunity is something that you are interested in, please contact us through any of our social media channels, or by visiting our website at http://www.cetusa.org/host-family/
Contact Us!
CETUSA.org
How to Prepare for a J-1 Visa Interview
When attempting to obtain a J-1 visa in order to work in an internship or training environment in the United States, there are a few steps you have to take. Usually the step that makes J-1 candidates the most nervous is the interview at the United States Consulate in your home country. This can be really stressful, so here are a few steps you can take to prepare for the interview!
Organize All of the Necessary Paperwork
After scheduling your interview, and paying the application fee, you will need to organize all the documents and paper’s that you will need for the interview. There are a lot of papers and documents you will need so be very careful that you don’t forget any of them as it may slow down the process of getting approval for a visa to the USA. Here is a list of Documents and Paperwork that you will need to bring to your interview.
Passport
Form DS-160- Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application- This is an online form for which you will bring a printed copy of the confirmation page with the barcode.
Form DS-2019- Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status- This form is provided by your sponsor (CETUSA) and you will need to bring this form to your interview.
Form DS-7002: Training/Internship Placement Plan- Since you are taking part in the trainee and intern category, you will need to bring this form to the interview.
The receipt certifying that you paid the application fee.
Extra Passport Photographs- Although this may not be necessary, it is a safe back up to bring if your photo didn’t upload properly.
The original appointment letter for your interview, with an extra copy or two.
Original Bachelor’s Degree Transcripts if applicable, or high school diploma with grades
Evidence of ties to your home country- Be it family, work, or other personal connections, US officials need to know that you plan to leave the United States after your training or internship has ended. Showing evidence of ties to your country will assure them that you don’t plan on staying in the United States Illegally after your experience.
Proof of Financial Ability to Pay- This may include bank statements, pay slips, letters from your employer. Basically anything that proves you will be able to financially support yourself while in the United States will be sufficient in this category.
Example Questions
Once you have all these documents organized and ready to bring to the interview, you can start thinking about the questions they may ask you in the interview. Let it be known that the example questions I will give may not be asked, and there may be some asked that have not been listed.
The questions asked may include…
Why are you going to the United States?
What program are you intending on participating in?
When did you apply for that program?
How are you going to cover your expenses while in the United States?
What will you be doing in the United States?
Although these are obviously not all the questions that will be asked, they give you a good idea of the type of questions that may be asked. The questions however, are not the most important thing to prepare for. The most important thing to prepare for is how to best format your answers.
Formatting Your Answers
Since most of those working in the US Consulate are very busy, you should keep you answers short and to the point. Not only will this save the interviewer time, but it will also make a good impression, which is very important. Since these people are so busy, they will likely make their decision early on in the interview. The more questions they can ask early on will allow you to give them more information in less time.
Another important tip is to go into the interview alone. The interviewer wants to hear the answers directly from you, and not your parents or other people. If your parents or another person is helping to finance this endeavor in the United States, bring them, but leave them in the hallway until they are needed for the interview. This allows the interviewer to get all the necessary information, while dealing with you directly for most of the time.
The interview is based on the impression that you give the consular officer. If you are confident and concise in your answers you will have a greater chance of receiving approval.
There you have it! As long as you have your proper documentation, have an idea of the type of questions that are going to be asked of you, and keep your answers fast and thorough you will do great! Don’t stress about the interview, the more calm and collected you are, the better you will do! After completing the interview, you will be one step closer to working in the United States.
To start the process of obtaining an internship or traineeship in the United States, contact CETUSA through our website or any of our social media pages!
Contact us!
CETUSA.org
Google+