How Can I Help International Students?
Remember when you went off to college or university and had to figure out how to survive- whether it was finding the cheapest grocery store, the best place to do your laundry, or how to get along with your roommate? Now imagine you have to do all this in a language that is not yours and in a culture that doesn’t make sense. That can be what it is like for a new international student in an American university. No matter what stage in life you are, there are many ways you can help to make the American educational experience a rewarding one for students who come to UVA from about 100 countries. Here are a few suggestions:
As you spend time with these students, get to know more about their country and culture. Ask them what they do for fun, their favorite foods, their holidays, what they miss most. The more you show them that you care about them, the more likely their time in the U.S. will be a memorable one. Who knows? Maybe one day they will be in a position to return the favor! And remember that these guests in our country want to know how we think and what we believe, so please share stories and testimonies.
- HOST A MEAL IN YOUR HOME
- Invite a few students for a home cooked meal. No matter how simple the meal may seem, it ALWAYS trumps anything served in the dining hall!
- OUTREACH EVENTS
- Help greet students and bring a dish of food to share at one of our upcoming international student outreach dinners, hosted in a local home.
- Volunteer on one of our upcoming hikes or trips. These events are the perfect setting for conversions and provide initial contact with students, so that we can follow up afterwards. There are so many fun ways you can show international students our beautiful Blue Ridge paradise while making friends at the same time. The sky or the mountains is the limit!
- WELCOME WEEK
- Join us on UVA grounds to greet new international students, letting them know that we, the local families of Virginia, are glad to have them here! Nothing says this better and more easily than a beautiful care package. A church sewing club in Roanoke prepares colorful handmade bags that we fill with free items. Help us distribute them in August!
As you spend time with these students, get to know more about their country and culture. Ask them what they do for fun, their favorite foods, their holidays, what they miss most. The more you show them that you care about them, the more likely their time in the U.S. will be a memorable one. Who knows? Maybe one day they will be in a position to return the favor! And remember that these guests in our country want to know how we think and what we believe, so please share stories and testimonies.