Have you ever wondered what it might be like to explain St. Louis Cardinals fever to someone of a different culture, or experience St. Louis from a fresh, international angle?
If so, the Office for International Students and Scholars is looking for you. Volunteers are being sought to participate in a pair of community-connected programs that promote international friendships and further cross-cultural awareness.
The “Host Family Program” is designed to advance the cultural exchange between international students and local volunteers. Families get together with their student or students once a month for dinners, trips to the theater, movies, sporting events or sightseeing.
Hosts can include single adults, single parents, retirees and families with or without children. Although they don’t provide living accommodations, hosts help temper the loneliness students face living and studying so far away from home.
The “Speak English With Us Program” matches community volunteers with international students, faculty and researchers from both the Hilltop and Medical campuses who want to improve their understanding of the English language and culture. They agree to meet at a mutually convenient time and place, usually once a week for about an hour.
Volunteers are not required to be trained teachers or have any special language skills.
An orientation session for new volunteers will be held Sept. 26.
For more information, call Luisette Behmer at 935-5910.