Summertime Homestays: Stories & Photos
This summer, individuals and families from all over the Puget Sound region hosted students participating in SUSI and SLCI, two of our visiting programs. Here's how hosts and participants spent their weekends!
We are so thankful for our hosting community at FIUTS! Hosts come from around the world, live all over the Puget Sound region, and range from first-time volunteers to hosts who have been welcoming students to their homes for decades. This summer, we had two short-term hosting opportunities for visiting programs, Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders in Journalism and New Media (SUSI) and Seattle Language and Culture Institute (SLCI). Both participants and hosts had unforgettable weekends and have so many stories and photos to share!
Take a look at the weekends our local hosts and international participants spent together all over the Puget Sound and join our hosting community today!
They spent time outdoors..
Learned new games...
Shared meals...
...And developed new and lasting friendships from all over the world!
Here's what home stay participants and hosts had to say about their experiences!
"Questions and curiosity of how an American family is gave way to fun and satisfaction once I entered Lanaya and Zach's lovely home. With two dogs, three cats and two adorable little boys - Eli and Ike, their home was filled with happiness, laughter and glee. Lanaya and Zach were hosting for the first time, I heard, but I couldn’t believe so. They were very warm, welcoming and accommodative and shared so many insights about American culture, education, politics and everything. A hearty thanks to them for an unforgettable and enriching experience" - Ananya, participant from Chennai, India
"We loved hosting Upakar. We learned about Nepal and some of the customs there. More importantly, I gained hope that with intelligent, caring young leaders like Upakar, our world will be a better place for future generations. Upakar wants to go back to Nepal to help his country, countering the trend of "brain drain." On top of that, he was a delight to have around and as a role model for our son" -Barbara, homestay host
"Sarika and Shail shared many stories about life in their countries. This gave us a new perspective on every day life in Southeast Asia. They brought us hope that their generation will make the world a better place. We now have two more wonderful family members who we can love and follow for the rest of our lives. THANK YOU!" -Stuart, homestay host
Interested in a rewarding experience with international students this August and September? We are actively looking for hosts to welcome students into their homes for a short-term stay! Contact samantha@fiuts.org for more information or if you're a new host, fill out an application today!