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ILI

The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) promotes intercultural understanding and diverse communities by providing high-quality language instruction and teacher training.

Living with an American Family

A Guide for Foreign Students

What to Expect in Your Home-stay

Our hosts have been carefully selected. We are sure that you will find them sympathetic, warm and helpful. They are friendly, caring people who are interested in knowing more about you and your culture. You should ask them if you do not understand something and you should tell them about your plans for the day. It’s great English practice and they will be happier knowing where you are. We will be checking with you often about your homestay so that if there are any problems, we will talk about them and try to solve them.

There is no “typical” family in the USA. You may live in a traditional family with two parents and children, or there may be a husband and wife, but no children. Most of our hosts are single women with grown children. We also have some households with two women or two men living together, some of them with children. The parents may both have full-time jobs outside the home. Many families in Northampton have diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Social Activities

Social activities mostly occur on weekends. On weekday evenings, families often watch television together or work by themselves doing homework, surfing the internet, or reading. Many people have evening meetings for school, work, church, or other organizations. You may be your host if it is appropriate.

Meals

Meals such as breakfast and lunch are light, informal meals in the U.S.A., particularly during weekdays, and family members usually choose and prepare what they will eat themselves. Dinner is the main meal of the day, and families usually eat together. The dinner hour is usually between 6:00 and 8:00.

  • If you have chosen a home-stay with meals included you can expect to have dinner with your host and have food provided with which to prepare your own breakfast and lunch.
  • If you have chosen to prepare your own meals, your host will help you to shop for your food. There are several food stores within walking distance of ILI.

Everyone shares in clearing the table and washing dishes. You can offer to help, and ask your host how they share the work. You may ask for more food if you are still hungry. If you are asked if you would like more, and you do, say “yes” the first time—you may not be asked a second time.

Your host will want to know what you like and do not like to eat. Tell them if there is some food you cannot eat. You are not expected to enjoy all foods, but it is polite to try things once.

Tell your host if there is a special food you miss. Often, your host will be able to get it for you. Offer to cook a meal from your country occasionally.

If you are not planning on joining your host for dinner, make sure that you tell them. Do not be afraid to call them, they will appreciate it! You need to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy. If you are not getting enough to eat or you feel that the food is not healthful, you should talk to your host.

Pets

Many Americans have pets, especially cats and dogs that are often allowed into every room in the house. If you have allergies to animals or the presence of a pet makes you uncomfortable, let the Home-stay Coordinator know beforehand.

Helping with Household Tasks

In most American households, men, women and children share housekeeping and laundry chores. You will be expected to clean your room, do your own laundry and clean up after yourself or help with other chores as asked.

Smoking

Smoking is generally not allowed inside buildings. Please ask your host for guidance about where you can smoke.

Religion

There are 145 houses of worship within 16 kilometers of ILI representing many religions of the world.

Alcoholic Drinks

People less than 21 years of age are not allowed to drink, buy or carry alcohol in Massachusetts. It is illegal to buy or give alcohol to anyone under the age or 21.

Before Departure

It is customary to leave your bedroom and bathroom as clean as it was when you arrived. Don’t forget to dispose of all trash and to take all your belongings!

After You Leave

It is customary to write a “thank you” note to your host after you leave. This note thanks your American hosts for their kindness and hospitality. They will enjoy hearing from you occasionally and it gives you another opportunity to practice your English!

Concerns

Contact Amy Ben-Ezra, Home-stay Coordinator
E-mail: amy@ili.edu Phone: 413.586.7569 x100

Some Social Customs

Like all people, Americans have unique social customs. A few are mentioned below, but it is not possible to list them all. By observing and asking questions, you can learn about others. TIME: Americans expect people to be on time. If your class is at 9 A.M. you are expected to be there, ready to begin at 9. To come late is considered rude. This is true of most social engagements as well.

Informality & Greetings

American dress and lifestyle can be very informal. People often use first names with each other. A handshake is the most common form of greeting (especially between men) and acceptable in all social situations. Just extend your hand, usually the right one, and say ‘hello’ or “pleased to meet you”. A typical response to “How are you?” is “Fine, thank you, and you?’

Invitations

Americans make statements such as “You must come and see us” or “See you later.” This kind of friendly statement is not necessarily an invitation. An invitation specifies a time, date and place. It is polite to respond with either a “yes” or “no.” A “yes” answer requires you to attend unless you call to cancel. You can always decline an invitation, it is polite to say “no, thank you”. It is considered impolite to accept an invitation and then not go.

References: NAFSA: Association of International Educators, International Student & Scholar Series: A Guide for Foreign Students,Washington, D.C. 2010

ILI News

  • Mayor Honors Past ILI Board President February 1, 2023
  • ILI featured in EL Gazette magazine! January 25, 2023
  • The Top 5 Benefits of Learning English Online with Native English Speaking Teachers January 18, 2023
  • Interview with Edwin Cubillos, Colombian photographer and peace activist December 14, 2022
  • Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford visits ILI October 17, 2022
  • Business English Guide to Improve Your Communication Skills October 12, 2022

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ILI on Instagram

“Music is the universal language of mankind.” “Music is the universal language of mankind.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ILI English and French instructor, Josh Owsley is also a musician! He will be playing bass with @landownerband tonight at @thedrakeamherst . 🎶Hope to see you there!

📸Photo by @vagabundodeltiempo 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #landowner #livemusic #teacherfeature #thedrakeamherst  #community
Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey ( Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey (Peru), Azhar (Kazakhstan), Ruveyda (Turkey), Andrei (Russia) and Yasemin (Turkey). Every month we have an international potluck to celebrate our graduates. You might have seen Azhar’s cakes before, but the cake that she made, as you will say, is truly over the top! We are sad to say goodbye to the students, but excited about the next steps that they will be taking in their lives.

Cake by @_azhar_bakery 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #studentlife #azharbakery #potluck #education #internationalstudents #ialc #ialclanguages
“We must risk everything for the raw recipe of o “We must risk everything for the raw recipe of our passion” 

We had such an engaging afternoon at @parlorroommusic with ILI Board Member + former president of @gccgreenfield Bob Pura. Bob led a reading and discussion of his new book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, which he co-wrote with Dr. Tara L. Parker. Audience members also got the chance to learn more about the process behind the creation of the book. 

Thank you for joining us! 📚

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #bobpura #authorevent #reading #discussion #communitycollege #thecommunityscollege #northampton
Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead a discussion of their book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success! 📚 Join us at @parlorroommusic at 2pm. 

In their book, The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, co-authors Dr. Robert L. Pura and Dr. Tara L. Parker explore the extraordinary impact of this country’s community colleges on people, communities, and our democratic traditions.

As the book’s foreword by Lynn Pasquerella, President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, states: "[T]he analysis offered by Dr. Pura and Dr. Parker unveils how community colleges—distinctively American institutions—are more essential than ever to fulfilling our nation's historic mission of educating for democracy."

Pura, a member of the ILI board of directors, retired in 2018 as president of Greenfield Community College after 17+ years in that position. Parker is the recently appointed Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at UMass Boston.
 
#thecommunityscollege #authorevent #ili #bobpura #taraparker #theparlorroom #northampton #community
TOMORROW - Saturday, January 28th don't miss an Au TOMORROW - Saturday, January 28th don't miss an Author Reading & Discussion with Bob Pura + Tara Parker at @parlorroommusic at 2pm!

Bob Pura, former Greenfield Community College president (18 years) and now an ILI board member, was on the Bill Newman radio show yesterday discussing his new book. 

So many of our students have found success at @gccgreenfield . Here's a photo of all of ILI's students who were at GCC during Bob's last year...including former board member, Aimee Salmon. Aimee is at Mt. Holyoke and graduating this semester, Florice is at Tulane, Bene is at Smith, Orphee is at Western New England University, Flora just graduated from Western New England and is an electrical engineer in Connecticut and Lastone graduated from UMASS and works in Boston.

➡️Listen to the radio show here: https://whmp.com/podcasts/the-communitys-college/

#whmp #ili #thecommunityscollege #bobpura #taraparker #communitycollege #authorevent #northampton #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts
This past fall, ILI applied to #MassachusettsDepar This past fall, ILI applied to #MassachusettsDepartmentofElementaryandSecondaryEducation’s (DESE) competitive grant program to help fund our free English classes for immigrants and refugees. The hard work paid off. When DESE announced the recipients, ILI was on the list! ✨

“We were thrilled to get the good news,” said Macey Faiella, director of ILI’s English programs. “The pandemic shed new light on the disparities that face immigrants and refugees, and we reassessed our program to include greatly expanded offerings. DESE responded positively—all to the benefit of the students.” Starting this fall ILI will teach four levels of online and in-person evening classes and a new intensive in-person morning course. 

For 34 years, ILI has partnered with the state to provide free English classes in western Massachusetts. This award extends the partnership for an additional five years. It funds about two-thirds of the overall program. ILI is responsible for the remaining costs.

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #dese #education #grant #nonprofit #freeenglishprogram #mass #community
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