Friendship Family Program

There is more to education than lectures, textbooks, and term papers. Some of the most rewarding and informative experiences will occur outside the classroom and library.

In many communities in the United States, groups of citizens organize programs so that foreign students can meet Americans, visit in their homes, and learn about their communities. These citizens are volunteers--they are not paid for their services or expenses. Their reward is the satisfaction of learning about other cultures and viewpoints. Often the friendships which develop between students and the Americans they meet last a lifetime and bridge the distance between countries and cultures. We invite you to participate in the activities sponsored by the International Programs Office at the University of Arkansas.

Our program is completely flexible and can easily meet the mutual needs and schedules of the students and host families. After we gather the names of those interested, families and foreign students are "matched" and are introduced at an informal (and FUN) training session. After that the teams are "on their own" and may plan whatever suits them. We recommend some sort of planned visit at least once a month. Activities might include:

Birthday celebrations
Picnics
Outings to historical sites
Political and community meetings
Occupational and professional experiences
Sports events
Elementary and high school programs
National holiday observances, such as Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July
We recommend that the families make contact by phone or other means on a weekly basis, along with the monthly visits, in order to maintain regular contact.