Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Hosting our Amity Intern - 2018-2019

We are excited to announce that Roosevelt will have another French native Educational Intern this fall for the full 2018-19 school year, Joséphine Campos. She studies English (language, literature & civilization). She aspires to be a teacher. 

These are some of Josephine's aspirations: If I ever get the opportunity to work as an intern for this program, I would be fully dedicated to the students. I am willing to help them enjoy the learning of the French language and culture, help with the pronunciation. I have been volunteering at the Red Cross for two years now. I enjoy helping in the domiciliation unit (the delivery of the mail to people without a stable home), I like to attend and help out in the French classes my grandmother leads to help new immigrants in France. 

Josephine's words to her future host families:  I would be extremely grateful to be hosted by a local family; for them to dedicate some of their time for me is truly generous, and I would do my best to prove my gratitude. During my stay in Australia, I had the opportunity to live in three different host families. Together we shared precious moments chatting, cooking or visiting nice places. Each family taught me their own lifestyles: their favorite dishes, their cultural tastes - my first host family was the one who introduced me to Game of Thrones! They advised me to visit several museums, natural parks or hiking trails. I am hoping to share the same kind of wonderful experiences with my forthcoming Host Families.

I would adapt my daily routine to the Host Family's lifestyle. I am pleased around animals if any are involved, I am used to live surrounded by nature as much as I am used to be in the city. I will help with household duties, as I am doing in my own family. I am a vegetarian, and I understand that my eating habits can unsettle some people, therefore I would manage on my own for the cooking and maybe even cook some more for the family if they happen to be interested in trying it! This program allows me to live a full American experience. I am hoping to integrate in the family's customs as much as possible. I will celebrate national holidays, pay my respects for the more tragic events, encourage the children in their schooling and leisure activities. I hope to attend baseball or basketball games!
 

Hosting our intern is a key factor in the programs success. The host families play a key role in shaping our intern's views on American family life and education here (they are all studying to become teachers). They also become short-term family members who can become lifelong French native friends. This year we will need 3 host families to volunteer to host an intern for about 12 weeks, but longer stay is a possibility if it suits the family. This is an exciting opportunity to have your children really connect on a daily basis with a native French speaker and learn more about French culture! All interns have excellent English skills so communication with non-French fluent families will not be a problem.
If you are interested in hosting our new intern, please read the information about the Amity Intern Program and requirements below. I included some of Jeanne's words about herself and her views of this exciting experience. Email me (wiebe_c@4j.lane.edu) if you have any questions or would like to put your name on the list to reserve a specific intern time period (Fall Term: Sept-Dec, Winter: Jan-March, Spring: April-June). Thank you for supporting a strong educational experience at Roosevelt.

HOST FAMILIES (from the Amity website): http://www.amity.org/category/host-family-overview/
Host Families play a vital role in the success of an assignment. By welcoming an intern from another country into their home, volunteer host families gain friendship, understanding, knowledge and a connection to the world. They will experience new tastes and customs, and have the chance to practice their intern's language. Their children will learn about different parts of the world from the intern, and may receive extra help with their own language studies. Long-lasting relationships that may develop between the family and intern can lead to an ongoing exchange of friendship and hospitality. Children may also benefit from having an international friend and a foreign pen pal. Learning about another culture may create new interests in travel and international issues. Hosts may also gain a new perspective of Americans and American culture as seen through the intern's eyes, leading, perhaps, to broadening their own opinions, beliefs and values. HOST FAMILIES PROVIDE: A private room. Three meals a day, including a sack lunch on school days.  Transportation to & from school if school is not walking distance or accessible by public transportation.