Local families host international students

Middlebury’s international students have opened doors to the wider world by teaching domestic students about their cultures in ways that cannot be learned from a book. As international student Chris Lam ’10 recounted, “Director of International Student Services Kathy Foley Giorgio once said, ‘we don’t have to go to the rest of the world because the students have brought the world to us.’” But how does Middlebury offer the same cultural opportunity to international students? The Friends of International Students Host Family Program matches new internationals up with local families. The students remain connected with these families throughout their Middlebury experience. Here are a few accounts of those experiences.

The Single Male

When he completed his host family application, indicating a preference for an average family with kids and pets, Hong-Kong native Lam could never have expected that he would open his host family package to discover he had been matched with a single male. Though surprise and skepticism had him nervous, he kept an open mind until the day when he was able to meet his new host father for a dinner at Atwater. As it turns out, this single male had just graduated from Middlebury the year before, worked in the admissions office and had been an international student as well.

Lam could not have asked for anyone more prepared to aid him on his four-year quest through Middlebury. Over the years they became very close. His “host brother” taught him how to drive, allowing him to get his license and become a Middlebury van driver. They skied together, ate together on occasion and his host brother came to support him when singing for his a cappella group Stuck in the Middle. What is more, he provided the basis for a home in Middlebury that Lam could never have expected when he arrived at college.

“I really got the feeling that he was someone I could rely on, seek advice from and that he would always support me,” said Lam. Despite his host brother leaving Middlebury two years ago to work in Boston, he and Lam continue to have a close relationship that will follow them through the rest of their lives.

The Old Couple

Liu “Jen” Yun-An ’12 hails from Taiwan and has been matched with a host-family in Cornwall. From the beginning, Jim and Helen showed her the true nature of the Vermont lifestyle with activities like cross country skiing behind the golf course and trips to a sugar farm, where her host father explained to her the sugaring process. She cooks with them and for them and brings her other foreign friends along on visits to their home.

In return, Liu invites her host family to Middlebury to show them the Helpdesk, where she works, and to eat with her at campus barbeques.

“No one at home ever heard of Vermont and once I was here it was easy to be in the bubble and see only one side of American culture,” she said. Having a host family enabled Liu to see the many sides of America, including holiday meals. She experienced her first Thanksgiving with her host family in a very traditional manner, with turkey, gravy and stuffing.

“The program,” Liu explained, “was started with the goal to make it easier for international students to transition. But for a lot of people, they have already been abroad, so it is not necessarily helpful for transitioning but for branching out.”

The Ultimate Host Family Experience

Though most international students must remain away from their families for a long period of time, many are able to return home for the summers to reconnect. This is not the case for Rachel Ochako ’11, who has been unable to return to Kenya after two-and-a-half years at Middlebury. “People in the United States don’t realize how nice it is to have a host family,” Ochako explained. “If I have a bad day or just want to talk, I can call and they will be there to listen.”

Having never encountered a cold environment, or America’s system of “higher education” Ochako’s biological family has difficulty understanding her college experience and offering the academic support she needs. “Because my host parents are two professors on campus, they want to make sure I am good academically,” Ochako.

In addition to academic support, Ochako’s host family has taught her many things about living in Vermont, such as the usefulness of wearing layers, which she did not know about, having lived in a warm environment her whole life. And more than that, while being so far away from home, they have provided her with the emotional support that is necessary for every student making the journey through college. “I spent the summer with them,” Ochako said, “and when I got sick, they took me to the hospital and cared for me. I love my host parents.”

Though many international students do not utilize the Friends of International Students Host Family program, those involved are afforded incredible new experiences and make lasting connections. “For students who haven’t stepped out of their country and are struggling with culture, having a host family is really important,” said Lam. “Without their help, I would feel more foreign.”