Over two hundred local families have opened their homes to Community Connections visitors from Russia and nine other republics of the former Soviet Union; many of these host time and time again! Hosting a visitor is a fantastic way to learn about other countries, expose your family to new cultures, and make lifelong friends. To learn more about what hosting entails, read on:

Room and Board:

Show your guests their room and other pertinent parts of the house. Provide a front door key. If there is a burglar alarm, take special care to explain it, as well as any other safety precautions necessary in your home.

Instruct participants in use of such household equipment as TV, stereo, stove, refrigerator and freezer, microwave, etc., and indicate your preferences for usage (volume, hours, etc.). Encourage them to join in family activities or to help with household tasks if they seem willing. Some may like to cook, help clean up, or do gardening. Although they are guests, their participation in normal family activities is a part of their experience. Show the location of fresh soap and toilet paper.

Your guests will require breakfast and several evening meals, depending on the program’s schedule and other offers of home hospitality. Meals should be what they normally are in your home. Check each week as to which meals your guests expect to miss. Discuss your schedule if you won’t be home and will be leaving food. Ask about food allergies, restrictions or strong likes or dislikes.

Participants might feel uncomfortable helping themselves to food. Between meals or when you are not home it may seem awkward, in spite of your encouragement, to raid the refrigerator. Point out specific snacks or consider placing a plate of fruit/crackers/cheese in their room at first to make it easier.

Breakfast:
Most mornings, participants will have breakfast at home. After a few days of wanting to experience American breakfast foods, they may prefer switching back to their familiar foods such as cold meats. Ask them.

Lunch:
If they need to take lunches, let them pack their own. Ask what food they would like to have available.

Dinner:
Consider entertaining your guests with a typical American outdoor barbecue. Our grills, fire starters, etc. are unusual and delightful accompaniment to the food.

Fast food, pizza, houses of pancakes and other franchised eateries will be cultural oddities, as will suppers at county fairs. If asked, however, most guests would probably opt for “your own home.”

Laundry:
Your guests will take care of their laundry, though many hosts may find it easiest to add it to their regular wash loads. If you expect the participants to use a laundromat, provide information as to where and how to do it. If you offer your washer/dryer, instruct them in usage and in handling of special fabrics. Tell them where hand washing can be done, and where to find a good dry cleaner.

At first participants may be feeling very lonely and inadequate. Apply T.L.C. and realize that this is seldom a big problem. Be sensitive to unfamiliar equipment such as American plumbing or telephones.

Since the visitors follow a strenuous schedule and are under the strain of speaking a foreign language and adapting to foreign culture, keep in mind their need for relaxation and privacy at times, especially during the first days. Some may enjoy parties and other social affairs; others may prefer to go to bed early or just sit around with the family.

Be certain they understand your restrictions about long distance phone calls. Those calls may best be handled by requesting the total charge from the operator at the time of the call.

Keep lines of communication open. If you find that you have some expectations that are not being fulfilled, try these suggestions in this order:

1. Learn from your guests’ ways of doing things differently. Talk together about their possible advantages and disadvantages here.

2. Express yourself! Don’t let a problem make you angry before you finally communicate your wishes.

3. Make sure your guests understand how you prefer to have things done. Demonstrate.

Call Amy Barss or Malica Markovic for help if the situation is not responding to the first three suggestions and is spoiling your experience together, or if you need translation help.