Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

Mo st of the foreign students are keen on learning mo r e about H o n g K o n g a nd g e t t i n g to k n o w the local language a n d people. H a v i n g a host f a m i l y gives the students an extra and mor e personal d i me n s i on i n their u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the local culture and allow s t h em to practise their classroom Chinese i n a relaxed, everyday context. The ma j o r i ty of th e participants i n the H o s t F am i l y P r o g r amme come f r o m N o r t h Am e r i c a a nd J a p a n— i n 1997-98 there w e re 54 students f r o m th e US a n d Canada, and 24 f r om Japan 一 but there are also a f e w f r o m Asia, Europe, and South America. P o t e n t i al hosts can i n d i c a te t h e ir preferences w h e n t h ey s i gn u p f o r the p r o g r amme , e.g., n umb e r of students, and their gender, nationality, a nd academic level. Once a host f am i l y is ma t c h e d w i t h one or more students, the rest is p l a y ed b y ear. The extent of the r e l a t i o n s h i p d e p e n d s o n w h a t b o t h partie s feel mo s t c om f o r t a b le w i t h . T h i s c o u l d be an occasional f i l m or a casual me al t o g e t h e r , s ump t i o u s h ome - c o o k i ng at the host's home , Su n d ay mass and d i m s u m w i t h the extended family , or s h o p p i n g for peach blossoms at Chinese N e w Year. I n some cases, the host or a host sibling m a y become a confidant or adviser to the student. There is h owe v er no need to p r o v i d e a c c ommo d a t i on for the students at the host's residence. I n 1997-98 th e OISP successfully ma t c h ed 85 students w i t h 74 hosts. • Chinese University student s w h o h a v e r e t u r n e d f r o m s t u d y - a b r o a d- p r o g r ammes ar e also recruited to be hosts t o f o r e i gn s t u d e n t s . B r e n d a L e u n g w h o graduated t w o years ago w a s h o s t t o K e n M c L a r e n f r o m Canada in 1995-96. Brenda herself h a d s p e n t t h e p r e v i o u s a c a d em ic y e a r s t u d y i n g i n the U n i t e d States. N o t o n l y w a s Brenda a g o o d f r i e nd a nd g u i de to her guest, b u t she extended her h o s p i t a l i t y to m a n y other I ASP s t u d e n t s at the U n i v e r s i t y. ' I c ome f r om a H a k k a village i n Tuen M u n , so I took t h em t o m y village for puhn choi. M y d a d cooked. I also t o o k t h em to other places i n H o n g Kong.' Brenda Leung (front middle) a n d IASP students o n the steps of a temple Mark Millar (left) visiting former IASP student Dan Callahan in Sapporo, Japan in 1 993 Thanksgiving 1 985 at the Millar's w i t h I A SP student J o hn Sanchez (right, second f r om back). At the head of the table is Mark, a n d at front right is Edith. M a r k a n d E d i t h M i l l a r, I ASP students f r o m Am e r i c a i n 1985-86 n o w w o r k i n g i n H o n g K o n g , were so impressed b y the p r o g r amme a nd attached to the U n i v e r s i t y that they have, since thei r r e t u rn to H o n g K o n g nine years ago, been host to nine students. This is n ot too s u r p r i s i n g c o n s i d e r i ng the couple me t t h r o u gh IASP a nd eventually got married. T h e kids are so fresh, y o u n g, a n d eager. We we r e just like t h em , ' said M r s . Millar . ' Wh e n w e first became hosts, w e were o n l y five years older t h a n they were a n d they called us " M a r k a nd E d i t h ". N o w w e have t w o children of our o w n and they call us " M r . and Mrs, M i l l a r " .' The couple always choose Ame r i c a n students because they feel the students can i d e n t i f y w i t h their experiences mo re easily. 'First w e w o u l d take the students t o Victoria Park, wh e re M a r k a n d I h a d our first date,' c o n t i n u ed M r s. M i l l a r . T h e n w e w o u l d i n v i t e t h e m to o ur apartmen t for d i n n e r. It's nice to have a h ome - c o o k e d me al after so m u c h d i n i ng hall f o o d .' The couple still keep i n t o u ch w i t h some of the students, w h o have become their clos e friends. The couple's concludin g comments perhaps echo the sentiments o f ma ny w h o have benefitted f r o m the p r o g r amme , b o t h as hosts an d students: 'We really enjoy the p r o g r amme . It has ma d e a lot of difference to our lives.' • Foreign Students on CU Campus 39