Friday, June 26, 2015

From the Center from Global Studies: Host a Visiting Teacher

The Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Illinois is proud to have been selected by the U.S. Department of State to host a five-week Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) for 20 teachers from around the world. This will be the third consecutive summer that CGS has hosted this program and we are excited to introduce a new group of international educators to our wonderful community. In past years, community members have enjoyed spending time with the SUSI teachers and helping them learn about our community. If you’d like to volunteer your time with this program, please visit our blog for the full announcement.

This summer's group hails from Belarus, Chad, Finland, France, French Guiana, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Japan, Malawi, Mozambique, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkmenistan, and Uganda, Uzbekistan. To learn more about the participants and the program, please click here.

We would like our visitors to have opportunities to meet local residents for conversation and learn more about the rhythm of life in the American Midwest. We are seeking individuals and families to host international secondary school teachers for activities, such as a home-cooked meal, sporting event, worship service, Fourth of July picnic, etc. during their stay in the Champaign-Urbana community from June 21 to July 27.

In addition to helping to arrange informal opportunities for interaction with the SUSI international teachers, there are three specific activities that CGS has planned for host families and program participants:

The Fourth of July is an important holiday in American society. The SUSI international teachers will have the opportunity to spend a few hours or all day with a local family. In the past, families have hosted small groups of international teachers by inviting them to backyard barbecues, the parade, a pool party, and/or fireworks. Community members are encouraged to include the teachers in whatever activity your family does to celebrate Independence Day. 

July 17-19 is “Faith in America” weekend for the SUSI Program. We are looking for community members willing to take one to three international teachers to a religious service sometime during this weekend. We are looking for host families from a variety of faith traditions to show the diverse religious communities in our area and the United States. At the end of the weekend, the international teachers will reconvene to share their experiences and discuss the role of religion in American society.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Center for Global Studies Outreach Coordinator Jeremie Smith at smith193@illinois.edu or call our office at 217-244-9352
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