newsletter-dorothy-whitefield-fall-2009

Cultural Homestay International
October Newsletter 2009
Letter from Dorothy
Dear Students,
Welcome!! You are all finally realizing your dream! Some of you may be wondering why you
wanted to spend a whole semester or year so far from home. Others of you are already realizing how
fast your time here is passing. All of you are going to have a unique experience and will learn a lot
about yourselves. The path you are taking will never be a straight and smooth one. How you handle the
twists and turns, bumps and potholes, will be how you and others measure your success.
Three things almost always guarantee success, a good relationship with your host family, getting
involved in sports, clubs, or other activities so you can make friends, and following the rules. I know, I
know, isn’t America the land of the free? Why are there so many rules? These rules have evolved over
30 years of working with exchange students, host families and schools. We have learned that following
these rules helps to keep everyone happy!
We are heading into the holiday season. Although technically not a holiday, Halloween starts us
off. This fun day falls on October 31 st . Look for more info about this holiday in the newsletter. Some
families celebrate the harvest rather than Halloween. What about your family? We want to see pictures
of costumes and jack o lanterns.
Thanksgiving is the one holiday that began in North America. It is centered on family, food, and
being thankful for all of our blessings. Your Host Family may want to hear what you are thankful for, so
start making your list!
Certainly the largest holiday is Christmas. Some Host Families also celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
Be prepared to give each family member a nice gift. Shop early! Activities like putting up lights,
decorating the tree, baking cookies, and party going may all be a part of your Host Family’s celebration.
Do everything they do!
Be sure to take lots of pictures. We have another newsletter coming out at the end of January
and we want to see how you celebrated these events. Have a fun and safe time.
Peace,
Dorothy
Important News
From Host Mother Suzanna Takacs
As many of you know I am a Living History Docent at Hearst Castle. For the past 6
years I have enjoyed "dressing to the nines" and strolling around this fabulous one-ofa-kind
museum/home that William Randolph Hearst started building around 1919.
While there I've seen many of our exchange students on the evening tours with their
host families. After mid-December the night tours will end due to "budget cuts". There
will be no more night tours with Living History Docents! Instead a new "self-guided"
tour will be starting in the spring of the grounds only (not inside the buildings). Daytime
tours will continue as usual. So if you’d like to enjoy the evening enchantment of this
historical estate with a Living History Docent, I encourage all of you to book your evening
tours ASAP.... http://www.hearstcastle.org/tours/ticket_info.asp
Holidays:
• Oct. 31 Halloween
• Nov. 4 Election Day
• Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day
• Nov. 26 Thanksgiving
• Dec. 25 Christmas
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October Newsletter 2009
2009 Fall Students Arrive!
Our communities welcome students from 14 countries!
Brazil:
Caroline Fernandes Jallol
Gabriel Belizzario
Nelson Carvalho do Amaral
Belgium:
Helene Edelberg
Jerome Berlingin
Pierre Halloy
Martin Molitor
Mathieu Ooms
Julie Vandersmissen
China:
Jialun Xionq
Xi Peng Li
Zhen Liu
Germany:
Alina Thon
Alina Vehlies
David Weiss
Ellen Sadzik
Tess Sigwarth
Spain:
Alvaro Manuel Garcia Cano
Fabian Montojo Baillo
Japan:
Fuyuo (Ashley) Ono
Mariana Higashizima
Saori (Wendy) Kodama
Italy:
Elena Bastianelli
Riccardo Conticello
Mongolia:
Temulen Ganbat
Poland:
Agata Czucha
Vietnam:
Dan Linh Nguyen
Kien Tri Nguyen
Ngoc Son Duong
North Cypress
Ismet Ekiz
Slovakia:
Alexandra Simova
Gabor Kovacs
Roman Palutka
Zofia Turcanova
France:
Sarah Bois
Turkey:
Hatem Bulgurlu 36
First Impressions...
The Schein Family at OXR excited for
Roman to arrive from Slovakia.
Find the symbol for what we put
at the top of a Christmas Tree.
The first 2 students to
call Dorothy,
wins a $5 Starbucks card.
805.737.0409
• Roman from Slovakia - School is awesome, and Americans are so
friendly!
• Ashley from Japan - I like American movies and American music
• lEE from Vietnam — The environment is very easy to fit in as long as
you want to fit in. Also, I feel like this is my 2nd home and I really
love America, I hope after this exchange program, I will able to study
here :)
• Jerome from Belgium — LOVES Lompoc
• Ayumi from Japan — Personalities because everyone is so nice
• Juan from Colombia — Likes concerts and school a lot!
• David from Germany — America is awesome! Friendly people and basketball
has great competition here.
• Dan from Vietnam - Great! I like American people and the way they
talk, it’s very different.
• Gabor from Slovakia — I like it! I like soccer and American girls!
• Andy from China - Very interesting place! I love American people.
Theyare friendly and know interesting things. Culture is very different.
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October Newsletter 2009
Student Orientation
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October Newsletter 2009
Welcome Parties
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October Newsletter 2009
Have fun with family and friends on Halloween …..Be considerate
of small children who are out trick or treating.
DID YOU KNOW. . .
– Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed
candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday, a 3
day festival marking the end of the summer season and the end of the harvest. This Gaelic
festival became associated with the Catholic ‘All Souls Day’ that then influenced the secular
customs now connected with Halloween.
- The largest pumpkin grown was recorded on October 2, 2004 weighing 1,446 lbs.
- There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with “orange”
- Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday, beat out only by Christmas
- Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America
- The number one candy of choice for Halloween is Snickers
Enjoy a truly American tradition on Thanksgiving Day. Family and friends
come together, food is abundant and good times are plentiful! We are
thankful for all that we have. We are all especially thankful for our host
families!
- The Plymouth Pilgrims dined with the Wampanoag Indians for the First Thanksgiving in 1621.
- Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird.
- Turkeys can drown if they look up when it's raining!
- Fossil evidence shows that turkeys roamed the Americas 10 million years ago.
Enjoy your holidays ~ Enjoy your families ~ Enjoy your friends
Be sure to tuck something under the tree to show your appreciation to your host family.
Make the most out of the holiday season!
Fun Facts:
• Santa Clause gets his origins from St. Nicholas, a generous man from the 4th Century A.D. who helped children and
the poor and often threw gifts through children's windows to make them happy. The story was brought to America by
Dutch immigrants who called the man "Sinter Klaas.
• “It's a Wonderful Life" appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.
• Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
• Holly berries are poisonous.
• Due to the time zones, Santa has 31 hours to deliver gifts? This means that he would have to visit 832 homes each
second!
• Christmas trees are edible. The needles on pines, spruces and firs are actually a good source of Vitamin C and the
pine cones are a good source of nutrition. So forget about the candy canes, go munch on your Christmas tree.
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October Newsletter 2009
Student Activities
Ellen Sadzik from Germany
Pioneer Valley High Marching Band
Martin Molitor from
Belgium and Mariana
Higashizima from
Japan/Brazil
Cabrillo High
Homecoming Dance
Helene Edelberg from Belgium
Lompoc Braves vs Atascadero Greyhounds
Helene Edelberg (12) and Alissa Lindemann (3) slap hands in celebration after
a point during their volleyball match with Atascadero at Lompoc High.
Alina Vehlies from Germany
Open House at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium
09-16-09, we had an Open House in the Cabrillo High School Aquarium.
We were almost 50 students, all waiting for the visitors to come. At 7pm
they opened the doors for 2 hours. We students were waiting at different
tanks, ready to explain the different habitats. We were all so excited because
for the majority of us it was the first time to teach somebody about it
and we learned it just a few days before the Open House. After a time we
got more and more self assurance and it was really fun to teach other people
about it. If you want to come to the Open House, too, look in the Lomporc
record newspaper for events at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium.
Alina with fellow classmate, Ethan
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October Newsletter 2009
We’ve been busy . . .
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October Newsletter 2009
Got Questions ...
Got Answers ...
Students often have questions that are hard to
find answers to, or may even be a little
embarrassing. Here’s a few!
Q: Dear Tahira - I’m having a hard
time making friends at school. What
can I do?
A: Since each class has different students,
changing classes all day can
make it hard to make friends, The
absolute best way to make new
friends at school is to join a club or
sport. That way you’re with a group
of kids with the same interest. A lot
of clubs meet during lunch period
and after school. Also, smile often
and be friendly to everyone. Look
around each class and choose someone
you’d like to be friends with -
say Hi to them everyday, until you’re
comfortable enough to start a conversation
with them, maybe about
an assignment. Friendships take
time, but it will happen.
Q: Tahira - What if I don’t agree
with my host family’s rules about
going out with friends? They say I
can only go out on weekends.
A: Well, your host family ‘s rules
rule! Remember that you came to
America to experience & be a part
of an average American family.
Most American families are very involved
in their children’s activities
and very protective. You must understand
that this is our culture. If
your situation is extreme, talk with
your AC. He/she may be able to help
with a solution.
Q: My little host brother is getting
into my things. I like my host family
but he is driving me crazy!
A: Talk to your host mom. I promise
you that your host parents want to
help you find a way to protect your
things. You should put things that
you do not want touched as well as
important papers up high, like on a
closet shelf. Other things can be
locked in your suitcase or a lockbox.
Ask your host family for help
with this. If you need the words to
say, call you AC!
I just cannot summarize all my feelings and happiness.
In Brazil, we had classes to learn how to deal with homesickness, how
to complain if you are not happy. But now, those classes seems useless,
once everything I learned does not apply to my situation. I would be
the rudest person in the world if I missed home with what I have
right now. The love that surrounds me is international, it has names:
Carmen and Mario Cortez, friends, and acquaintances. Every day I
wake up and just stay in the bed thinking if it was a dream. I love my
parents, my family, friends, school, new places that I visit and ever
single detail in this amazing country.
I would not be satisfied without saying thank you for all those who
have been helping me: dad, mom, my coordinator Gina, FRIENDS!,
teachers... Everyone has a big space in my heart. Thank you again!
~ Nelson Amarl
Brazil
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October Newsletter 2009
Newsletters
A great way to share your experiences with other students,
Host Families, Coordinators, and friends is through your
Newsletter. They’re posted on our CHI website so your
natural family can see what you’re up to as well!
Please send your pictures and comment about your
HOLIDAYS for our Newsletter in January. Please email them
to:
chikathie@chinet.org THANKS
To View Newsletter
Online
Go to:
• www.chinet.org
• Programs in the US
• Academic Year
• Regions
• Dorothy Whitefield
ENJOY !
Cultural Homestay International
CHI MISSION STATEMENT
Cultural Homestay International (CHI) is a nonprofit
public benefit organization founded in 1980 to
promote international understanding, friendship
and goodwill through cultural homestay.
We believe that the best way to eliminate fear and
prejudice among nations is to experience directly
the cultures, languages and customs of the peoples
by living with them. The emphasis of AYP program
is on the education of the participating student, the
volunteer hosting family and the local community
through communication and interaction in the
home, the classroom and the neighborhood.
It is our hope that a more informed citizenry will
ultimately contribute to a more prosperous,
and peaceful world.
Birthdays
Roman Palutka Arrived on his Birthday
August 26th!!
Gabor Kovacs Aug. 27th
Sarah Bois Oct.8th
Agata Czucha Oct. 14th
Alina Vehlies Oct. 31st
Ismet Ekiz Nov. 6th
Dan Nguyen Nov. 7th
Arnaud Sznato Nov. 9th
Fuyuo Ono Dec. 10th
Zofia Turcanova Dec. 13th
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL!
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