We are excited to announce that Roosevelt
will have another French speaking Educational Intern this
fall for the full 2019-20 school year, Mouhamed Ly. He currently studies Post-Colonial literature in Senegal, and he aspires to be an English teacher.
These are some of Mouhamed's aspirations for his experience at Roosevelt: As an informal ambassador for my home country, I would present my country’s language and culture by sharing it with young Americans students. I would want to teach my language (Fulani) and show American people what is my culture through its behaviors, clothes, local meals, sports events, dances and songs. I will show them how wrestling
matches are done with all the details to live good moments of Fulani
wrestling matches. Fulani wrestling is an old traditional sport in Senegal.
Mouhamed's words to his future host families: Living with a host family is a honor to me
because my culture taught me that « one can never pay the family or person
who welcomes him ». So, I will share household duties and take part to
every activity. I will wash the dish, clean the house, participate in cooking.
I will play with the children. I will do as in my own family because for me, life
should be taken positively so that good memories will be hold when time comes
to go.
Mouhamed's words about fitting in: I am a kind of person who can adapt easily. I traveled outside my
country and found out that their customs and foods are not the same as mine
but I loved and adapted with theirs rapidly. For me it is normal and fascinating that
customs and foods change in a foreign country, and to better learn, many times,
one needs to discover things different from his own culture.
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 / Francophone 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 a Francophone culture (Senegal, this year)! 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. 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):
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.
