Historical April–May 2016 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Crossroads College Preparatory School, located on DeBaliviere in our own Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood, is known for many outstanding programs. Currently, they also have an international program placing students from around the world in a home environment as they pursue studies in the US. Megan BonackerSequeira is the local coordinator of Homestay, placing eleven students this year at Crossroads, most from China, who have come here because their families believe it is important they have this cultural experience in America.
The program places these students with volunteer families, who agree to provide a private room, meals, transportation back and forth to school, and who will treat the student as their own, including planning for holidays and weekends and helping with such life skills as eating different foods and dealing with different rules. Families with children are encouraged to apply, as even the concept of dealing with siblings can be new to Chinese children, who have been raised in a one-child setting.
To offset the costs of hosting a student, families are provided with a $900 monthly stipend. Families also have access to ongoing local support. Students arrive with their own insurance and spending money.
All have studied English for years. One family who is participating in the program this year are Glenn and Narci Herr, who live on the 6000 block of Westminster. Narci says of their experience, “Living so close to the school has made it easier for us to host Emily and I’d encourage other neighborhood residents to consider hosting a student.
It is a great opportunity to build friendships across cultures and provide a home environment for young students far from home.” As Megan says, “Are you interested in meeting people from other countries? Do you want to make a lasting impact on the life of an international student and make a friend for life?” Megan will interview interested families and do a background check.
A ten-month commitment is typical. You can begin the process of becoming a host by completing our online inquiry form at: http://www.gphomestay.com/international-host-families/host-family-inquiry-form/. For more information, please visit www.gphomestay.com or contact us at info@gphomestay. com or (781)996-0429 with any questions.
Original photograph caption
Left to right: Muning Wang, Tova Cohen, Su Yufang.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2016.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2016_04.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
