newsletter-jennie-fouts-march-2010

Cultural Homestay
International
C A P I T O L I S S U E
M A R C H 2 0 1 0
Pitchapa (Thailand)
at the Capitol
Leticia (Spain)
Megan
(Germany)
Miriam (Spain)
and friend
Dear Students and Host Families,
Spring has Sprung! The flowers
are coming up, the snow is
almost all melted…depending
on where you live and for
some lucky people they have
already had some 70+ F degrees
days. The Washington
students enjoyed a beautiful
day touring the State Capitol
in Olympia, dodging water in
the fountain and sitting in the
sun visiting and eating lunch
at my house. Our
Alaska students took a trip on
the wild side and cheered on
the mushers at the beginning
of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race
in Anchorage. What an
amazing 'Once in a Lifetime
Experience'. Our South Carolina
student toured the City of
Charleston by horse drawn
carriage. Charleston is located
on the east coast right
on the Atlantic Ocean.
A couple notes I think are
worthwhile:
Live and learn all your life
and mine - Big learning
curve this month for me. Remember
when we asked you
to bring your DS-1019 forms
to the student orientation last
September. The thought was
to make life easier and to help
you be prepared ahead of time
for any trips taken to Canada
or Mexico. We have come to
realize with the help of a host
family that the signature is
only good for six
A note from Jennie Fouts
months. So…if the DS form
was signed in September the
travel signature will expire on
that same date in April…so
the DS form must be mailed
to CHI in CA 'again' for a
second signature for the student
to be able to travel outside
the USA with the host
family. Next year we will
advise students and host families
to mail the form to CHI
CA only if they will be traveling
and to do so about one
month before the travel
date. Thank you Gross family!
Travel - any overnight travel
of more than five days or involving
a plane ride, must be
OK'd by CHI and a travel
request form filled out. Always,
always, always let your
AC/Academic Coordinator
know if no one will be home
overnight and where your
student is. NEVER EVER
leave your exchange student
home alone overnight or with
teen friends. An adult chaperone
is someone 'parental' and
that is not an 18 year old and
usually not a 21 year
old. Thanks for helping keep
the students safe!Yikes - it's
time to start thinking about
going home in May or
June. Sorting, packing and
mailing some belongings
home. Finding a cool way to
thank your host family for
hosting you. Writing notes to
all the people who have made
this year special for you and
finishing up this year in a
positive way. Leaving behind
good memories with your
host family and those you
have met. You want people
to miss you and say, "Wow
that was the coolest kid from
____" (fill in the blank). What
memories are you going to
leave behind???
Respect - Speaking kindly to
each other, helping each other
with homework, chores, cooking,
etc., looking in the eye is
cultural for Americans, asking
for permission, inviting each
other to watch events (theater,
sport, concert, etc.), honesty
in all aspects, staying calm…
making good decisions that
you can be proud of....
Monthly Reports and Last
Personal Visits - here we go,
only about three more
monthly reports to go…you
know these are part of our job
required by the USA Department
of State and for the students
well being. Please return
our phone calls as we
work to complete all the reports.
The last personal visit
is to be alone with just the
student and the AC. We will
be talking to you about ending
your program successfully
and preparing to go home.
Enjoy the newsletter…it's for
you! ~ Jennie

Happy Birthday
Carmen (Spain) 3/14
Leif-Erik (Germany) 3/21
Laure (Belgium) 4/12
Pia (Germany) 4/22
AA Jennie Fouts 4/24
Sao (Japan) 4/28
Sister and brother Annamaria and Andrej from
Slovakia have had the chance to spend some
time together this last month. They are both enjoying
their own adventures with different host
family’s and in different schools, yet sharing the
experience and building memories to last a lifetime.
Meet Jackie from the main office in California.
Jackie came to the Portland area to spend a day with
area academic coordinators to help them better understand
how to help our students make the most of their
year. She often travels abroad to spend time with
our partner agencies, and works hard to learn how to
better aid our students and appreciate their cultures.
"The biggest reward for a thing well
done is to have done it."
-Voltaire
Can you see the CHI?
Pia (Germany)
Anna (Germany)
Sona (Slovakia)
Magdalena - Maggie (Germany)
Miriam (Spain)

CAPITOL ISSUE
PAGE 3
Jimena (Colombia) & Ema (Slovakia) with officers
at the Capitol entrance
Chika (Japan)
“You cannot
make yourself
feel something
you do not
feel, but you
can make
yourself do
right in spite of
your feelings."
-Pearl S. Buck
Our CHI group in Olympia at the fountain before touring
the Capitol.. We later went to Area Administrator Jennie
Fouts’ home for a great lunch and time to visit and spend
with friends. While we were at the Capitol, Sophie T
(Belgium) played the piano beautifully, and then again at
Jennie’s to entertain us.

PAGE 4
Left to right;
Andrej (Slovakia)
Mami (Japan)
Chika (Japan
Ami (Japan)
Julian (Germany)
Ann (Germany)
Aileen (Germany)
Ryota (Japan)
Host family
friend and Sona
(Slovakia)
Cristian
(Colombia)
Carmen (Spain)
Leticia (Spain)
AC Jennifer
Elisabetta (Italy)
Mami (Japan
Emi (Japan)
Sari (Japan)
Ema (Slovakia)
Jimena
(Colombia)
Julian
(German)
Creative table
Vitor (Brazil)
& Pitchapa (Thailand)

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
PAGE 5
Eleoner (Belgium)
and cast of Grease
Hae In (Korea) &
Nancy (Mexico)
Leif (Germany)
Nancy (Mexico)
Hae In (Korea)
Eleonore (Belgium)
Douhyung (Korea)
Host sister and Eleonore
(Belgium) in Costa Rica
Our Alaskan students took their
spring trip to Anchorage where they
saw the start of the world famous
IDITAROD SLED DOG RACE
They traveled through blizzards but
enjoyed their weekend.
Records were broken this year at the
race as winner Lance Mackey is the
first ever to win four Iditarod races.
To read more about this incredible
sled dog race, go to
http://iditarod.com/race/

Oleksandr (Ukraine) Little
shop of horrors
PAGE 6
Ilaria (Italy) and
Wilawan (Thailand)
at Multnomah Falls,
Oregon
Anna (Germany), AC Erin and
Sona (Slovakia) in Hawaii
Duc - Danny (Vietnam)
Pia (Germany)
Miriam (Spain)
2010 Hawaii Group
Here Comes South Carolina to join our
group! Meet Janick (Germany) who
sent this picture after visiting Charlston.
WELCOME!

PAGE 7
Megan (Germany) preparing for the Tolo
Magdalena (Germany) in culinary class
Jan (Germany)
Ilaria (Italy) & AC
Sarah all traveled to
the Olympic games
in Vancouver Canada.
Silvia (Italy) and
friend at winter ball
Sophie D - Belgium and her
cast family from ‘Fiddler on
the Roof’ drama production.
Victoria (Germany)
This newsletter is for,
and about you. The students and the familes that
share these great experiences, and make all of us
so proud ~ Please send your pictures and comments
to Lbrothers3@aol.com for future publication

See this newsletter full color at
http://www.chinet.org/regions/washington_south/
Cultural Homestay International
Opening doors to the world since 1980
A non-profit exchange program
5202 Sleater Kinney NE
Olympia, WA 98506