CHI’s Group Homestay program was recently featured in the North County Times. CHI Teacher Coordinator Sandy Williams took some time to talk about the group of Chinese students that will be visiting the Escondido area this summer.
Check out the full article below. Thanks Sandy, for all your hard work, thanks to the North County Times for helping to get the word out on our programs, and thanks to Bethel Baptist Church for supporting Group Homestay!
Good hosts: If it seems like there are a few more teenagers around North County next month, it could be the 15 Chinese youngsters on loan from China.
Cultural Homestay International coordinator Sandy Williams said Tuesday that she is once again seeking host families to provide a room and transportation for each of nine of the students and a Chinese teacher, the group’s chaperone, in early July.
“It’s just a really good introduction to another culture —- you’re learning about China, some of their ideas, while they are learning ours,” said Williams. “We have people who do this year after year after year. They get no monetary reimbursement out of this, it’s just their love of having the kids.”
Williams said she avoids using Craigslist to find local families, and that the process includes an interview and a site visit: “One requirement is that we want to see the room the kids will stay in,” she explained.
Arriving on July 3, the students will spend their weekdays in culture and language classes at Bethel Baptist Church off Interstate 15 in Escondido. Field trips are also in order, said Williams.
“We’re going to take the Sprinter over to Oceanside to go swimming one day, and we’re going to the Fire Department, Police Department, City Hall —- things like that,” she said.
Host families are responsible for breakfast, a bed and a ride to and from Bethel Baptist. Anyone interested in hosting should contact Williams at 760-612-5218
