Olivia from Martinique studied at Kaplan International Center, Westwood from October 2010 to March 2011 while living with one of our amazing host families. Read her story to find out a little bit about how important Host Families are to our students and their experience in the United States.
“I had an AMAZING experience in my home stay. I was in a very good family, and time spent with them was just fun!!!! My housemother is very nice, open-minded, funny and likes sharing her house and her culture with her students. With her, I felt I was with my real family. She invited me to go a lot of places with her family like the beach, church, restaurants and thanks to them I had my first Thanksgiving (like on the T.V.!!!).
I could talk to her about anything I wanted, and she gae me a lot of attention and affection. Her kids are just awesome! Her daughter and her sons were very, very nice. I had so much fun with them! Thanks to them, I had a real American experience (food, sport, activities, events, etc.) and I will never forget them.â€
The friendships made during the homestay experience can be instrumental and unforgettable for the host family and the student. We have many families that stay in touch with their students and have formed life-long bonds that continue to enrich their lives long after the student has gone.
It is this mutual sharing and appreciation for different cultures that makes the program so important. As Olivia says, “I think the best thing I really loved in Kaplan was meeting students from every where in the world. I made friends from Asia, South America and also Arabic countries. Thanks to that I could have my own opinion about a lot of cultures and share my culture with my friends.â€
If you are interested in being a part of our Homestay program, and making a difference in the lives of Kaplan International Students please call us at 310-824-6973.
For more information on Kaplan: www.kaplaninternational.com
