Home Hospitality
Next Home Hospitality Training: TBA – January or February 2012
Click here for upcoming home hospitality opportunities.
“We really look forward to these evenings. We learn so much about other countries and what our guests think about the U.S…this really is the next best thing to travel in terms of learning about the rest of the world.” –Margot Wynkoop
Home Hospitality is a great way to introduce our foreign guests to the cultures and customs of the U.S. Home hosts come from a variety of backgrounds and live in apartments or homes; some are students, others are working professionals while some are retired. One of the goals of home hospitality is to illustrate a variety of American lifestyles.
Home hosting involves welcoming 1-4 international visitors (depending on the size of the group and your capabilities) into your home for an evening meal. Home hosting does not require overnight stays (occasionally we do need overnight stays and in that case we refer to the request as “Home Stays”).
Most often home hosts serve dinner in their homes or apartments, but sometimes they serve it at a friend’s house, at a nearby park (picnic dinners during the summer), or sometimes at a restaurant. Dinners can be as simple as a pizza party with several neighbors or as elaborate as a themed dinner. Please note that if you do wish to take visitors to a restaurant, we ask that you pick up the bill.
The most important aspect of the evening is the connections made – which can have a tremendous impact on both sides. The goal of home hosting is for international visitors to get a glimpse into the lives of everyday Americans and to experience genuine American hospitality. Past volunteers have visited international visitors in their home countries thus experiencing those countries in ways most tourists never can. Children of Home Hosts have grown-up and gone to study in the home country of the visitors their family hosted for dinner. Most important, negative stereotypes of Americans have been shattered in countless visitors’ minds.
Home hosting is considered a privilege of IIE membership and members are given priority for these opportunities. Become an IIE member online today!
For more information about hosting, please contact Tessa Carter at tcarter@iie.org.
