[BHS Etree] GREEN ACADEMY: Host Families Needed, Nov. 3-10

[BHS etree]

PLEASE do not reply to this email, contact` Kate Trimlett trimlett at gmail.com


 

Berkeley High Hosts a Global Exchange Promoting Green Schools and Green
Communities 

 

When we welcome people from another country into our school and homes, we
make friends, increase mutual understanding, broaden our own horizons, and
create opportunities to work together for a better future.  In this spirit,
our school is pleased to announce our participation in Leading Green:
Shaping Sustainable Schools and Communities, an international exchange that
will bring high school students and educators from countries of Southeast
Asia to the United States to learn about environmental sustainability and
develop as well as practice leadership skills as they make friends with
diverse Americans. 

 

Leading Green is a Youth Leadership Program designed and implemented by the
East-West Center (EWC), a nonprofit institution headquartered in Honolulu,
Hawaii.  The EWC was established by the US Congress in 1960 to better
relations and promote understanding among the peoples of the United States,
Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue.
Leading Green is funded through a grant by the US Department of State's
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

 

The first group of exchange participants will be in the United States during
October 28 - November 19, 2012 and will include 25 high school students
(ages 15-17) and six educators from Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and
Vietnam.  All participants speak English and have been selected by U.S.
Embassies in the participating countries. 

 

Exchange Itinerary and US School Partners

Participants will begin their exchange by taking part in workshops,
seminars, and hands-on projects at the EWC headquarters to develop
leadership and civic skills and explore global environmental issues.
Afterwards, they will travel to California, where three schools in the San
Francisco Bay Area (Berkeley High School, Head-Royce School, and Castilleja
School) will each host 10 exchange participants for one week.  The group
will then travel to Washington, DC, where they will be hosted by three
DC-area schools (Maret School, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, and Potomac
School) that are, like the Bay Area schools, leaders among US schools in
fostering a school culture that promotes environmental stewardship and
sustainability.  

 

The goals of the US school visits are for the exchange participants to
observe and learn from their host schools' green best practices, while also
engaging in cross-cultural dialogue and exchange, and to leverage their new
learning to create green action plans, which they will implement in their
own schools back home.  More broadly, the exchange aims to develop
participants' interest and skills to help them become better citizens and
advocates who are committed to engendering positive change in their
communities and globally. 

 

Inviting Berkeley HS Families to Host Exchange Participants

Host families are vital part of this international exchange.  Therefore, we
are inviting families of our Green Academy students to consider opening
their homes to exchange participants for one week, starting Saturday,
November 3, 2012.  With your family, you will provide a supportive
environment for them to experience the daily life of an American family,
sharing your routine, customs, foods, and perspectives, while your guest
shares theirs. 

 

In return, the exchange extends opportunities for our school community to
learn about the fascinating region of Southeast Asia, its incredible
diversity, and dynamic cultures; and to explore real-world issues affecting
the region in ways that are direct and personal.  The exchange also enables
our students, teachers, and families to develop connections and friendships
with their counterparts in Southeast Asia that can become long-term and
sustained.  Moreover, the EWC can help Berkeley High leverage these ties
into future exchanges and service learning opportunities for our students
and teachers.

 

What is Expected of a Host Family?

Hosting international exchange participants can be a rewarding experience
for the host family, but interested families should be prepared to meet the
following expectations: 

 

. Establish contact via email with their guests before their arrival.

. Provide a safe and welcoming environment for their guest(s) and make them
feel like a part of the family by including them in family activities, while
also establishing clear rules and expectations about household routines,
including meal times, bedtimes, TV watching, phone and computer usage if
applicable, inviting friends, and contacting the exchange coordinator if
problems arise.

. Provide room and board.  Whether hosting one or two student(s), if the
student(s) must share a room, it should be with a child/children of the same
gender and similar age.  It is not advisable to place adults in homes where
they must share rooms. 

. Transport participants to and from school on school days.

. And, whenever possible, encourage involvement in community life by
introducing them to friends, neighbors, and community groups.

 

Since participants will come from countries and communities in Southeast
Asia that are diverse culturally, religiously, ethnically, and
linguistically, below are some guidelines prepared by the EWC so that hosts
and participants can feel at ease with one another.  Final participant
selections will be made in early October, and the EWC will provide host
families with information on their individual guests as well as their
countries, communities, and schools.

 

Guidelines for Exchange Hosts

Hosting a student or teacher from another country is an exciting journey
into new cultural norms and mindsets.  Hosts want their guests to feel at
home and comfortable, and guests likewise strive to be polite and
accommodating.  The EWC has compiled the following guidelines that deal with
cultural issues and sensitivities that families should be aware when hosting
participants from Southeast Asia in order to facilitate a pleasant exchange
experience for everyone.  The EWC staff will also be available throughout
the exchange to assist in cross-cultural communication or other matters. 

 

When Meeting Exchange Participants

. Since naming patterns vary in different countries, ask what you should
call your visitor, and state what he or she should call you.  Clarify which
is your surname and which is your given name.

. Repeat the person's name, and ask if your pronunciation is correct. 

. Handshakes are common, but not universal.  For some Muslims it is not
acceptable for unrelated men and women to shake hands.  If you extend a hand
and your guest does not reciprocate, it merely indicates a different
cultural tradition or religious observance. 

Interactions 

. In many Southeast Asian cultures, people value a placid countenance.  Open
displays of frustration or anger should be avoided.  A gentle approach is
the best way to communicate on matters of importance or delicacy.  Subtle
cues and face-saving gestures can help broach sensitive topics. 

. Periods of silence in conversation are often welcome and allow people to
collect their thoughts. 

. Some cultures may view the left hand as "unclean."  They will use their
right hand for introductions, eating, exchanging gifts, and gesturing
towards objects.  It is best to reciprocate as much as possible.

. When gesturing towards something, it is best to use the open palm of your
hand. 

. Also, avoid showing the soles of the feet or shoes or pointing these at
people (when crossing your legs, for example), since these are considered
unclean in some cultures. 

 

Giving and Receiving Gifts and Compliments

. Gifts should be given and accepted using both hands, palms facing upwards.


. Gifts are generally not opened in front of the giver to avoid
embarrassment if it turns out to be a poor choice.

. Knives or scissors make inappropriate presents since they imply the
severing of bonds.  

. Wrap gifts in a color other than white, since this is the color of
mourning. 

. Compliments are often met with a polite and modest denial or negation, as
some cultures view accepting a compliment directly as unseemly or proud. 

 

Welcoming Muslim Guests from Southeast Asia

. Muslims across the world, including Southeast Asia, practice their faith
according to different requirements.  However, in general, Muslims avoid
dogs, alcohol, and pork as well as shellfish, and these should be avoided
while you host your guest.

. Muslims pray five times a day and prayer can take from five to twenty
minutes; however, schedules, especially when traveling, are usually
flexible.  A prayer timetable for each host community will be provided by
the EWC.  If you can provide a private or even semi-private area where your
guest can pray (with a separate room/area for females and males) it will
make things much easier for them.

. Before praying, a Muslim must perform a ritual washing, for which a normal
washroom suffices.  The standards for purity of the surroundings are usually
met if the venue is clean.  Problems can arise if dogs are present since
their saliva is considered unclean and, if it touches a Muslim's person,
they are required to wash themselves or their garment.  Therefore, dogs
should be kept away from your guests.

. Prohibitions regarding alcohol include personal consumption, but Muslims
also are not supposed to sit at a table where others are consuming it.
However, many will understand if such situations are not avoidable.

. Muslims are not allowed to eat pork or any form of pig meat including
lard, bacon, ham, and sausages.  Other meats must be 'halal' and slaughtered
according to Muslim custom.  Kosher meat is permissible since it follows the
same guidelines.  If halal or kosher meat is difficult to obtain, vegetarian
dishes, dairy, as well as fish is fine.  (Please note, some cheeses contain
hidden pork ingredients, such as rennet or pepsin.  Cheeses that contain
microbial enzyme are fine.)  

 

If you are interested in hosting a student or teacher please contact Namji
Steinemann  steinemn at eastwestcenter.org 

 

Thank you for your time and consideration

 

Sincerley,

 

Kate Trimlett

Science Teacher

Green Academy

Berkeley High School

__________________________________

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