Sarnia Celebration of Lights

Live in the Sarnia area? Looking for something to do this Friday night? Why not come out with your family and enjoy this!

The 28th Annual Sarnia Celebration of Lights is set for this Friday, November 16th! Come join the festivities at Dow People Place as we kick off the holiday season with Christmas Carols with The Space Between, Free Cake and Trolley Rides thru the night. Mark you calendars and plan on bringing the whole family down to the Celebration of Lights Courtesy of Transalta!

Life as a Host Sister

Kukka & I at the beach in Colchester

by Sarah

It's two weeks before all the exchange students come to Canada and I receive an email about becoming a host family. Three students still did not have a place to go. I got really excited, and right away I asked my parents. Most likely it was going to be a 'no' because of how expensive it was for us to have me going to South Korea.

But on Saturday August 25th, 2012, I, Sarah, became a host sister! Now, let's be honest. When you don't really know somebody, you feel awkward around them and you don't really know what to say. Therefore, I admit, when we first had Kukka arrive it was sorta like "awkward". Soon enough, though, it became less awkward.

The first week after Kukka arrived from Finland, I took her around the city. I took her down to the Detroit river since I live about 10 mintues away. Kukka gets to see Canada and the US in person...sort of...haha. We walked all the way to the bridge where America and Canada are connected. I showed her downtown. I took her to a lot of places. Eventually, I ran out of ideas, and I felt like I was boring her. But then I thought, well, this is the normal Canadian life! It's not all fun and games, and she is here to experience what it is like to be "Canadian".

In terms of how she has impacted our family, I think my family has become more helpful. Everyone likes to help around the house. My mom thinks Kukka is a really good exchange student. She's constantly helping around the house, always asking if she can help or do something. Having an exchange student is like having a new member family, or having a sleepover with someone for a year! I don't mind her being her. She's a very good person.

We took Kukka to some places already, like Colasanti's and Point Peele. She found everything so fascinating about being here. She likes to go downtown a lot and see places. To me, because I have been here so long, its like well...its boring here! But its amazing how its so amazing to her. I will probably feel the same when I arrive in Korea. At Colasanti's, we saw all the different animals, and played games and golf. Then we went to Point Peele, so she could visit the TIP OF CANADA!

Now that school's back in session, she hasn't gotten to go yet because of the wait. She's spent a lot of time going around the city and exploring, but we JUST got the news she can go to school soon! She's so excited!

Honestly, hosting a student isn't "strange", it feels very natural. It's just like having a new addition to the family!

Interested in hosting a student of your own? You can find a host family FAQ and application here!

Hello, friends of YFU Canada!

This blog will be replacing the general newsletter and will serve as a way to let volunteers, alumni, students, family and friends what's going on with YFU Canada.

Youth For Understanding (YFU) is one of the oldest, largest and most widely respected non-profit international student exchange organizations in the world.

In 1951, 75 German teenagers from Germany and Austria were selected by the Army of the Occupation to come to live in the United States with American families for one year under the auspices of the US Department of State. The students were between 15 and 18 years old and, as it later became apparent, it was exactly this age group which seemed to be most able to naturally participate and adjust to the lifestyles and values of a foreign family and community.

Dr. Rachel Andresen, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor/Washtenaw Council of Churches, educator, and social worker, was asked to lend her assistance and helped place these first students in American homes on a voluntary basis. In 1952 the Council of Churches received permission to act as the official agency for this program. It was named "Youth For Understanding." Then, as now, family and community living were at the center of the YFU international learning experience. 

These initial exchanges, which grew out of an effort to heal the wounds of World War II, established the family living experience and provided the impetus for YFU expansion to other parts of the world. In the mid-fifties, the program grew to include Scandinavia, and later to western and central Europe. Youth For Understanding bridged the Pacific in 1958 when the first students came from Japan. The Pacific program now also includes Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

Youth For Understanding was introduced to Latin America in 1958, beginning with Mexico; South American countries opened their doors to YFU in 1959.

As the program increased in size, it became clear that incorporation as a non-profit educational organization was necessary. This status was achieved in 1964. Today, Youth For Understanding is one of the world's oldest, largest, and most respected international exchange programs. Since its inception in 1951, YFU offices around the world have exchanged over 240,000 students. 

So join us on our journey and learn about being a YFU Canada exchange student or volunteer, or welcome a student into your home! Remember, it's no secret that the world is out there. Experience it, with Youth for Understanding.