Many international students cannot go home for the holidays because of time, money or other personal reasons.
The International Hospitality Foundation on campus supports a program called Christmas International House, which allows international students to spend the holidays with an American family and experience a traditional United States Christmas.
Fahed Acu-Akel, executive director of CIH, said it is a program that takes place during the Christmas holidays, when most college campuses are empty.
“The program promotes friendship and hospitality during the Christmas season,” Acu-Akel said.
He said one of the requirements of the program is that students stay with a family in a state other than the one where they attend school.
“It gives international students a chance to see other parts of America,” Acu-Akel said.
He said more than 90 percent of international students who participate in the program stay in their American host family’s homes.
Acu-Akel said the program has had an excellent response ever since it started almost 40 years ago.
“The problem is not with the students, but with the number of American hosts,” Acu-Akel said.
He said students download an application from their Web site and mark their top three choices of cities in which they wish to stay. He said CIH chooses applicants based on a first come, first served basis and availability.
This year, the program probably will turn away almost 200 hopeful applicants, Acu-Akel said.
According to the Christmas International House Web site, churches and civic groups provide funding for the program.
International students pay their airfare to the other state, but from there, the host family takes care of them, Acu-Akel said.
Virginia Grenier, executive director of the International Hospitality Foundation, said she warns students who are participating that although they may be invited by their host family to attend religious ceremonies, they should not feel pressured to go.
“Most are happy to have the experience and have not felt any pressure,” Grenier said.
With his program in Atlanta, Ga., Acu-Akel said he is hosting 40 international students this year. He said he has different activities planned for every day of the week, and the nights and weekends are reserved for students to spend time with their host family.
He said most of the hosts are involved through their church, but anyone is welcome to participate.
“CIH is a good program,” Grenier said. “I have only heard good reports from students who go.”