Posted by admin on December 9, 2008 under Uncategorized | 
WAYS TO BE A GREAT GUEST
Bryan-College Station Sister Cities
Revised 1.7.10
- Taste everything you are offered by your host family and others associated with the exchange. If you don’t like it, be polite, keeping your opinion to yourself unless asked.
- Be willing to try each activity the host plans. You may opt out after giving it a try if necessary.
- Keep all phone calls and computer time very short. Your hosts may pay per minute of use and it generally is quite expensive compared to our costs. Take an international calling card with you for calls home and use an internet cafe for longer usage.
- Bring a gift for your host family and give it to them soon after your arrival. Also, take small gifts for the host student and any siblings.
- If you attend your host’s school you may be a curiosity and the center of attention. Pay close attention and be polite to all. Be prepared to respond when asked how your school compares to theirs.
- Keep all negative judgmental opinions to yourself. It is okay to comment that we do this and that differently, but don’t say that we do things better. No one wants to hear that! You may be shocked to learn that they may do some things better than we do!
- Keep your sleeping area orderly even if you don’t at home. If your host family is typical, they will have a neat, orderly home with less space that you are accustomed to. They will appreciate you following their lead.
- Follow any house rules. Remember, it’s their house.
- Don’t hog the bathroom. Most apartments/homes have a single bathroom that the entire family must share. Be thoughtful of the others. You will likely use the same towel on multiple days.
- Be ON TIME for everything. Punctuality is important to our hosts.
- Your host family may offer to do your laundry. Understand that their clothes washers are typically small and may take 1.5 hour per load. Not all families will have dryers.
- Recycle, recycle, recycle!
- Ask how you may help around the house but don’t be surprised if they decline your offer. Get enough sleep so you have energy to fully participate in ALL ACTIVITIES.
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HOSTING GUIDELINES
Bryan-College Station Sister Cities
Revised 1.7.10
If you and your family have agreed to be the primary host for one of the students/adults from one of our Sister Cities, please consider the following to help make the exchange successful for all:
- Discuss family rules early in the visit - The guest who knows what to expect early in the visit will have a better chance of living up to expectations. This includes mealtimes, bedtimes, computer usage.
- Obey the law – The legal drinking age is 21 years and the legal age for tobacco possession/use is 18 years.
- Act responsibly – Fulfill your obligations as a host and be a good sport regarding your guest’s interests.
- Show consideration – Allow your guest some private time according to his/her needs. It is possible that the guest will feel confused or bewildered with being many different people in an unfamiliar environment. Help your guest to get sufficient sleep to handle the challenges of each new and exciting day.
- Make sure your guest is informed about what the daily schedule will be – Give him a verbal description of what is to take place. Turn any potentially embarrassing situation for your guest into a humorous one. Or, remind him of something which you have done where you were embarrassed.
- Exercise tolerance – There may be marked differences in ideas or beliefs between your guest and your family. Your job is not to change your guest’s beliefs/ideas. Simply listen to differences without passing judgment.
- Use your coping ability – In any tense or stressful situation, be mature and show that you can cope with humor without always having things your way.
- Show enthusiasm – Things that seem simple and ordinary to you may be exciting to your guest. Try to enjoy his new discoveries. Think about things that you want to share with him that are enjoyable and don’t necessarily have a price attached.
- Provide meals – Your guest will need to eat with you and your family at home or out of town. Provide a sack lunch or cafeteria lunch in school as is your custom.
- Provide tickets/entry fees – Whether to games, movies, or other activities your guest is dependent on you unless another host takes responsibility for the cost.
- Provide transportation – Remember that your guest has no other transportation and is strictly forbidden to drive a family or friend’s vehicle.
- Telephone use – Budget for one overseas phone call by your guest to notify his family of his safe arrival. Check to cost of overseas calls prior to the visit since they can be exceedingly expensive.
- Computer usage – Be specific about time limits on the computer. Sending emails will keep him family updated.
- Provide small/inexpensive/thoughtful Bryan-College Station or Texas related gifts These will be appreciated by your guest and family. The best memories are often not expensive but revolve around the fun, activities, and experiences with you, your family and the group.
- Provide a small amount of spending money – Assume your guest may have little or no spending money. Provide all movie admissions and entry fees. Consider how visitors from BCS were hosted in their country and treat your guest to all affordable events.
Posted by admin on under Uncategorized |
Bryan-College Station Sister Cities Association
PO Box 4733, Bryan, TX 77805
www.bcssistercities.org
February 22, 2010
Dear Friends of Bryan-College Station Sister Cities,
Springtime greetings to you,
B-CS Sister Cities completed another amazing student and adult exchange program to Greifswald, Germany. Ten students and two adult sponsors traveled to Greifswald in July, 2008 acting as ambassadors from Brazos County. These students returned with wider perspectives on an ever-changing Germany. Most often students report that they view their daily lives and opportunities in the United States with much greater appreciation after experiencing the two-week home stay. Some students claim a life altering experience that will often influence their choice of college major and career paths.
Our German counterparts visited Bryan-College Station in April, 2009. Activities included visiting the Bush Presidential Library and local city councils, an Aggie baseball game, trips to Brenham, Austin and the Bob Bullock Museum, camping in the Hill Country, and seeing the Alamo along with San Antonio’s Riverwalk. Generous meal donations came from the Texas Road House, the Catalena Ranch and Jackie Littlefield of Abuelo’s Restaurant who provided an outstanding farewell dinner celebration for the group. While exhausting, our guests reported that they loved seeing the “real Texas”.
A new group of students and sponsors plan travel to Greifswald, Germany in July, 2010. Their German brothers and sisters will visit B-CS in Spring, 2011.
Funding for the Sister Cities program has become much more difficult to obtain in recent years. Currently, only the city of College Station provides a small grant. B-CS Sister Cities can only exist with local support. Each exchange participant pays fees to defray the cost of his/her airfare to the international cities.
We are asking for your support with local memberships so that we may continue to provide this unique, valuable, and enriching experience for local youth and adults.
B-CS Sister Cities is a non-political, non-profit association committed to Sister Cities International mission of promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.
Annual Memberships —Student $10, Individual $15, Family $25
Recognition Memberships—Supporting $50, Contributing $100,
Sustaining $250, Benefactors $1000
We hope that you’ll join us once again in 2009-2010. Gracious thanks to you for your past support of Bryan-College Station Sister Cities and local youth.
Monthly meetings are open to all members and visitors. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month, except July, at the B-CS Convention & Visitors Bureau, 715 University East Dr., College Station, TX. 260-9898
ANNUAL MEETING: October 4, 2010
