Participant Spotlight: Matt Ma

Below is a letter from Internship participant Matt Ma. 

Greetings,

 My name is Matt Ma, from China. I started my internship in a waste & recycling company located in Denver Colorado in August 2009.It was a great honor being selected as an Internship Program participant and being placed into an incredibly honorable company.

I want to extend my great and sincere appreciation and thanks to Culture Homestay International that introduced this program into China and many other countries. I was privileged to get to know the program and eventually became a member of it. I actually know so many friends in CHI so well and I have also visited CHI’s headquarter office myself. I feel so happy to meet them and so grateful for all their help and kindness. CHI assisted with my visa documentations and gave orientations and found me housings and dealt with my medcare insurance and many many rest. I am really proud for being with you extraordinary people and so thankful for all your support all the time along the way!

My main service in my company is to do background check of Chinese partners which want to build business relationships with my company. I am there to make sure that these buyers can handle our export materials in the very right way, and are absolutely environmentally safe and responsible. It has been known that there are many companies out there not taking good care of local surroundings but still running 24/7 with the all full set of licenses, the only reason for this is that they have some “connection” with Chinese government people. So here I came to do all necessary research to ensure that we are not working with a partner that is damaging Chinese environment.

I am very proud of my company for this. And also I have been learning tremendously during my job and from my colleagues, who have my great respects. While during the work, I would often introduce to my company more Chinese traditions, customs, holidays, and how the business goes on in China, specifically from the point of a young and newly-graduated man’ view. A lot of times, my colleague were feeling so hard to understand or accept what to us are most common sense and situations in China, I feel, too, sometimes, quite strange for the western way of work. This has been a quite pleasant and fruitful learning process. My company is now getting a lot better about how to conduct business with Chinese companies and with Chinese government as well as more Chinese cultures. And I learned so much more about United States. I had my first Thanksgiving Holidays in our Vice President’ family party. I received birthday card which has many colleagues’ blessings on. They gave me so many rides to visit Denver area and so many places. They took me to football game and my vice president would bring me Time magazines every other week, they even bought raincoat and gloves for me.….. I am not able to utilize just words to extend my thanks for them and I am so sure that we will be lifelong great friends even though my internship ends next August.

This has been a fabulous year to me, a absolute greatest time of treasure in my life, all my best best and sincere wishes go to you all, my company, all my colleagues, CHI, and all my friends here! Thank you all very very much!

Best withes,

Matt

Welcome New Au Pairs!

CHI Au Pair USA welcomed a fantastic new group of Au Pairs in January!  They had a wonderful orientation and are now spending time getting to know their new families!

CHI Students Raise Money for Haiti!

Recently a group of six AYP students from the Sacramento area gathered together to raise money for Haiti.  They spent five hours at a local supermarket, and by the end of the day had raised $400!  The proceeds went to benefit the efforts of UNICEF and the Red Cross in Haiti.  We are so proud of their generosity.  If you would like to donate to Haiti, please visit the American Red Cross.

 

 

AYP Student Published in Local Newspaper!

Academic Year student Jeremie Sanem from Belgium recently had an article he wrote published!  The article appeared in the “Teen Essay” section of the Press Democrat, a major Santa Rosa, CA newspaper.  We are so proud of Jeremie!

Full Article

TEEN ESSAY

Exchange student on what’s different

By JEREMIE SANEM

MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR

Published: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

“People regularly ask me what is the biggest difference between America and Belgium. Without a doubt, size is the biggest difference. Everything is big in the United States: cars, streets, food, houses, stores, TVs, schools, etc. However, there are plenty of little differences that make life fun for someone who is new to the U.S. These differences can be split into categories: school, house life, rules and clothes.

School is certainly the place where I observed the most differences. Sometimes these are minimal, sometimes they are unbelievable. Here, every teacher has his or her own classroom and it is the students who go around to the different rooms. Furthermore, it is possible to be in a class with people who are four years younger than you.

In Belgium, it is not like that. Students are in a set class for the entire year with people who are the same age, and it is actually teachers who walk around. Each class lasts 50 minutes, and there are eight periods every day, except on Wednesday. But that is not all. I think it is unbelievable that here, students can call their teacher by their last name without embarrassment. Over there, “Madame” or “Monsieur” is essential. And how many times have I seen people wear hats, drink, eat, listen to music, etc. in class?

Some other details are interesting to note. For example, your ring binders have three rings (we have only two rings), you never use fountain pens (I don’t know if they exist here), all you calculators are graphic (we are not allowed to use any like that), you have whiteboards and your write on them with markers (we only have blackboards and we use chalk to write on them), every class has a television with DVD player, a computer, a microwave, a telephone and sometimes a refrigerator (we don’t have all of these in every classroom in Belgium), and finally, your desks are linked with the chair (we have just tables and chairs are not linked).

Another major difference is in sports. In Belgium, it is only possible to play sports through private clubs because sports are not connected to school. It is impressive to see how the school spirit is very strong here and I’m sure this is strengthened by the sport.

However, as an exchange student, I can also state the differences at home that are not so remarkable.

Here, ventilators are hung at ceilings; these ventilators are present in every room. There is also a difference in plugs (they have two vertical holes, instead of two round holes). Since I have been here, I also found the joys of chores of like laundry and I discovered that most of your washing machines have their door on the top, instead of on the front.

The last but not least is the amazing number of channels you have on the television! In Belgium, I was happy with only 20 channels, but now when I go back, I don’t know what I am going to do.

The style is also different here; most Europeans like to copy American fashion because of the numerous American TV series that we can watch on television. There is a real freedom here in the dress code, and everyone likes to be different by having his or her own style. However, some of your clothes haven’t yet arrived in Europe. These include extremely large shirts, really flashy colors, boots that every girl seems to have here and a lot of good American brands.

Finally, some laws are quite different in Belgium. Some are better, others are worse; this is why I think that there is no reason to be jealous.

One question that many people ask me is the age that we are allowed to drink alcohol, and the answer is 16 years old for alcohol like beer. But for hard liquor, the minimum age is 18. This might delight some kids here, but contrarily, we can’t drive until we are 18 years old.

We are also not allowed to have a job all the year, but only during the 28 days of vacation. So, you are quite lucky because you can have more pocket money than us. Also, I think that the legal age to smoke cigarettes is different, too; it is 16 in Belgium instead of 18 here.

Total immersion in a country is really interesting in regards to teaching the finer points of your culture.”

Employer Spotlight: Motel 6

The staff at Motel 6 #1247 in  Ann Arbor, MI enjoyed a pot luck lunch during a goodbye celebration for Work and Travel employees from Russia. Everyone brought in their favorite dish and the staff enjoyed some unique Russian entrees, as well as some good ol’ soul food.

Thank you Motel 6 for being so wonderful to our W&T participants!

CHI Au Pair USA Discount!

Match with an au pair before March 2010 and receive 2009 prices!

CHI Au Pair USA has many wonderful au pairs just waiting to be matched with a host family. We are pleased to highlight some of our outstanding Italian au pairs that are currently available.

Agata (IWEP 1814)

• Italian
• Child Care
• 20 years old

Agata currently has over over 500 hours verified childcare hours. There are still references pending which will be added soon, and she continues to work with children.  She has been driving for over 2 years, and currently drives daily.  Agata has been learning English for 8 years, and is continuing her language education at university. Her level is intermediate.  Agata LOVES dancing, especially Caribbean style.She enters many competitions! She enjoys all kinds of exercise, but especially aqua fitness. Agata also enjoys cooking, especially Italian desserts! She is a very advanced swimmer, and is also a swimming coach and teacher. Agata is also excellent at competition level synchronized swimming.

 

Caterina (IWEP 1810)

• Italian
• Infant Care
• 19 years old

Caterina has 50 hours verified infant care with a newborn- 2 months, 160 hours verified babysitting one year olds, and 170 hours with 3-4 year olds. She especially enjoys working with infants.  She gained her full driving license since October 2009, and drives on a daily basis  Caterina has been learning English for 10 years, and her English level is good Her favorite sports are swimming and basketball. She also enjoys going to coffee shops with her friends.  Caterina is used to being with very young children, and has great patience. Her references describe her as being great at communication with children, she has great listening skills.

View More Available Au Pairs

Coordinator Spotlight: Sandra Haglund

For over eighteen years Sandra Haglund, from Southern California, has worked for CHI and loved every minute of it. During that time, Sandra has been involved with most of the programs CHI offers. She isn‟t sure how many countries she has worked with but she has been blessed to make friends in such places as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Siberia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, India, Macedonia, Belarus, France, Japan, China, Brazil, Serbia and many more. Each and every culture fascinates Sandra.

Sandra currently works with the Au Pair and Internship Programs. She is committed to arranging fun outings for the au pairs and interns as well as host families. Sandra loves to gather together all of her au pair and internship participants. They really enjoy getting to know one another so much so that they often meet up on the weekends. Sandra likes the au pairs and interns to communicate before arrival so that they have a “built in” friendship before they begin their program.

Two years ago Sandra and her husband hosted a Christmas dinner and had about nineteen au pairs and interns in their home. Each participant brought food from their home country and a marvelous evening was had by all. After dinner everyone sat in a circle and shared their memories of Christmas and other important traditions. Sandra recalls the night being a few hours of pure love and friendship. Sandra feels that the evening truly represented the motto of CHI Founders Tom & Lilka: “Open your home to the world and the world will become your home”.

Photos From the Field

 

L to R: Front Row - TC Jonathan Goetz, TC Sheva Leigh

Back row – AC Sandy Williams, AC Brenda Marshall, AC Alison Fishman, AC Buffie Channel, APA Darla Cherry, AAA Maggie Rojas

APA Darla Cherry along with her Teacher Coordinators, Academic Coordinators and Assistant enjoyed a San Diego Harbor Excursion.  The weather wasn’t the best but they still managed to have a wonderful time!

AYP Students Volunteer

AYP participants Beatriz Ramos Bevilacqua from Brazil and Saithan Rayabphand from Thailand take some time to volunteer at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon, OR.

Along with 50 volunteers Beatriz and Saithan spent the day planting over 300 trees and shrubs in the local park.

Read the Full Article

Employer Holiday Message from Work & Travel

Dear Employers,

First and foremost, CHI wants to thank each of you for partnering with us again this winter season. It is our hope that your “International Team” has begun to arrive and is doing well.

Your support of CHI’s Work and Travel Program continues to gain recognition around the globe; every season we receive wonderful letters of gratitude from our overseas partner agencies asking us to forward their sincerest appreciation to you. Your examples of professionalism, strong work ethic and incredible caring natures are being emulated by the next generation world wide.

It’s hard to believe that with the winter season barely underway, we have already begun our hiring tours for summer 2010 and have placed the first 350 students! If you have not submitted your summer staffing needs as of yet, please do so immediately; our partners have many excited students waiting to fill them!

CHI will be closed December 24th and 25th; in the event of an emergency the students can call our 24-hour emergency line 1- 800-432-4643. Lost passports are not considered emergencies and will be dealt with December 28th.

This may be the time of year you may see a bit of homesickness; it’s difficult traveling for over 24 hours, settling into a new job in a different country, wondering if English was truly what you were learning all these years in Language school and then spending the holidays all by yourself . So, please be patient, December 26th will be here soon!

CHI wishes all of you a happy and healthy holiday filled with family and friends!

Warm regards,

CHI Work and Travel Team