The Top 10 Mistakes People Do With An International

1. Speak v-e-r-y slowly and loudly so that they can understand you better.
2. Use your hands when you are speaking to them.
3. Plan to start your event at exactly the time you said.
4. Hug them upon greeting!
5. Show them some good ole' American slang.
6. Serve them a ham dinner.
7. Leave your shoes on in an Asian home.
8. Refuse to accept a drink refreshment.
9. Speak to them using their same accent and grammatical speech.
10. Tell a cultural joke about their country.

Make them top priority but don't violate their priorities: 

1. Subtly set perimeters between you and the student.  Let them know what you can and cannot do in mater of fact type conversation.  Also be straightforward as necessary.  If they know what takes your time up, they will understand their perimeters better.
   I.e. Favorite TV show, Devotional & church schedule, work, dinnertime, lawn main.
2. Let them know when they can and cannot expect to be able to reach you. job, home…
3. Let them know when to expect you to call, email, write, etc.
4. Learn to use email!!!!
5. Some students won't want to be bothered or have much contact with you.

Full article (pdf)

We have found that many Americans are interested and some are excited about hosting a student but when they discover how involved this can be, they lose interest.  The reason for this is due to a fear that they may not have enough time to help the student nor do they want another large responsibility in their life.  In addition, many who sign up to be a host find that they do not connect well with the student they have been assigned to.  Rather than having a student assigned to an American host for the entire semester or school year, it is much easier for ministries to create host 'meal' homes.

BCM’s are strategic to this ministry:
1.  They have stability on campus.
2.  They are an extension of the local church.
3.  They have many resources.

Imagine being completely on your own in another country, learning and studying in another language, trying to find a place to live/pay bills/eat/get around and learn to function in an unknown culture. There are students on each one of your campuses who are in that exact situation.  We're going to talk about making the most of the opportunity to make new friends from around the world, experience other cultures right at home, and in the process share the Truth about the one true God!  Their lives will be changed and so will yours!

Full Article (pdf)

Facts for Consideration

1. There are over 547,000 international students studying in the U.S.
2. There are over 5,000 international students and their immediate family members living in Tampa Bay.
3. Most university international student offices want mentors, friends and activities for their students.
4. Twenty percent of all international students who return to their homeland will receive positions in their government.
5. Seven out of ten of the most populated countries of the world are closed to traditional missions.
6. Almost 80% of international students at universities never enter an American home.

Full Article (pdf)

With increasing student enrollment and additional government filing demands, the ISSS office staff on college campuses are being overwhelmed with work.  This work is overtaxing many ISSS workers and leaving students with unmet needed services.  It is also causing students to feel abandoned, empty and alienated from their new environment here in the USA.  This situation, left unaddressed, will ultimately result in a damaged school reputation and leave staff and students with attitudes of discontent and resentment.

Do you think that you could find 10 students from your school who would want to spend a weekend in away from campus? You can participate and conduct a highly successful retreat!

• Students want to get away.
  • They want to visit places they have heard about while in their countries.
  • They love to see new places - it is ALL new to them and exciting.
  • They have to have inexpensive places to visit.
  • They are willing to tolerate poor conditions to go places.

Full article (pdf)

Introduction:
ISM workers are mostly type "A" personalities.  If not, they usually don't make it.  Why?  Because this ministry is long term related and cannot be sustained by short term commitment, insight or goals.  Therefore ISM workers tend to be deliberate, decision makers, energetic, pushy and unorganized.  Although you may not carry all of the above personality points, you probably have some.  Although most of these sound bad or undesirable, they are the type of traits that keep one going in the face of rejection and discouragement.  However, if left uncontrolled or unaddressed, they will destroy the ability to build a team environment and also lead to a self-destructing life.

Full article (pdf)

1. They KNOW computers.
2. Always ask (at all events) for contact information
3. How to use Email
4. Using a registration or contact page.
5. On your site.