Enthusiasm needs little translation for homestay students (Printed July 13, 2007)
By Ward Peck
Editor
“Hi! I am Martino! I’m a quite and little shy type but tidy! I like happiness and I love America! I prefer living my life doing beautiful and entertaining experiences,” writes Martino, 17.
“I think I am so lively, perky, smart and I love children and other teenagers. So I am not a boring girl in fact I talk very much and I don’t ever have the time for finish my adventures to my friends,” writes Gea, 15. “I like meeting with them at the cinema, or in my town to go out together. I’d be forever with them without my parents and mainly without my brother that is 16, but I don’t like because we are totally different. He is tidy, shy, precise and I’m his opposite.”
“I’ve got a lot of interests; first of all I like to go abroad, there I passes magic moments that I will remember for the rest of my life, writes Veronica, 18. “Then I spend my free time with my friends going to the cinema and shopping in the most popular streets of Rome. When I find time I read some books, and two of them where written in English. I spend also times on computer especially on the program called MSN, that it’s a sort of chat where I can ‘meet’ my friends of school.”
These young Italian children are not looking for pen pals. The above quotations were taken from applications the children submitted as part of the EF Educational Homestay program (www.efhomestay.org) to spend part of their summer living in the United States and learning about the culture. Their English may not be perfect, but their enthusiasm needs little translation.
According to Andrew Roy, a teacher at Portland’s Lincoln Middle School and a South Portland resident, these children are just three of 30 young adults from Italy ranging from 14 to 18 years old who will take part in the local program. Roy is working as the Portland program coordinator. Each of them needs a host family that is willing and able to open their home and drive them to and from the program headquarters in Portland each day.
Skye Luce, New England manager for the EF Homestay program said the host family provides more than just a bed for these young adults. Luce said it is in the home environment that the English language comes alive and allows young adults to hear it in the context of everyday experience. She said host families and visitors alike often benefit from the cross-pollination of cultural experience
The children will spend the mornings learning English and taking trips and engaging in cultural activities in the afternoon, Roy said. He added that the group is scheduled to visit Boston and New York during their time here as well.
While the children are scheduled to arrive in Maine on July 22, the program is still looking for potential host families, Roy said.
Potential host families are encouraged to contact Roy and fill out an application. Once the application is approved, Roy and his colleagues will work with the family to match them with the child whose interests and temperament best aligns with their own.
To learn more, contact Roy at 649-1166.
Editor
“Hi! I am Martino! I’m a quite and little shy type but tidy! I like happiness and I love America! I prefer living my life doing beautiful and entertaining experiences,” writes Martino, 17.
“I think I am so lively, perky, smart and I love children and other teenagers. So I am not a boring girl in fact I talk very much and I don’t ever have the time for finish my adventures to my friends,” writes Gea, 15. “I like meeting with them at the cinema, or in my town to go out together. I’d be forever with them without my parents and mainly without my brother that is 16, but I don’t like because we are totally different. He is tidy, shy, precise and I’m his opposite.”
“I’ve got a lot of interests; first of all I like to go abroad, there I passes magic moments that I will remember for the rest of my life, writes Veronica, 18. “Then I spend my free time with my friends going to the cinema and shopping in the most popular streets of Rome. When I find time I read some books, and two of them where written in English. I spend also times on computer especially on the program called MSN, that it’s a sort of chat where I can ‘meet’ my friends of school.”
These young Italian children are not looking for pen pals. The above quotations were taken from applications the children submitted as part of the EF Educational Homestay program (www.efhomestay.org) to spend part of their summer living in the United States and learning about the culture. Their English may not be perfect, but their enthusiasm needs little translation.
According to Andrew Roy, a teacher at Portland’s Lincoln Middle School and a South Portland resident, these children are just three of 30 young adults from Italy ranging from 14 to 18 years old who will take part in the local program. Roy is working as the Portland program coordinator. Each of them needs a host family that is willing and able to open their home and drive them to and from the program headquarters in Portland each day.
Skye Luce, New England manager for the EF Homestay program said the host family provides more than just a bed for these young adults. Luce said it is in the home environment that the English language comes alive and allows young adults to hear it in the context of everyday experience. She said host families and visitors alike often benefit from the cross-pollination of cultural experience
The children will spend the mornings learning English and taking trips and engaging in cultural activities in the afternoon, Roy said. He added that the group is scheduled to visit Boston and New York during their time here as well.
While the children are scheduled to arrive in Maine on July 22, the program is still looking for potential host families, Roy said.
Potential host families are encouraged to contact Roy and fill out an application. Once the application is approved, Roy and his colleagues will work with the family to match them with the child whose interests and temperament best aligns with their own.
To learn more, contact Roy at 649-1166.
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