Rio Vista Delta AFS Chapter is looking for Host Families for next school year 2021-2022. Now with the uncertainty COVID-19 has placed on the world, it is more important than ever to get to know and understand the people in our world. If you have ever considered hosting now is the time to act.
After 60 years of hosting Delta Chapter of AFS is in danger of not having a student next year do to the lack of a host family. AFS International Exchanges began at Rio Vista High School in 1960 when the Wallace McCormack family hosted Katrina Virtanen from Finland. Rio Vista and/or Isleton have been home to at least one student from abroad every year since.
Anyone involved with these exchanges will tell you how very special sharing cultural differences and ideas are to our community and schools, but the families gain an extended family around the world. AFS gives local students a broader base of understanding and tolerance.
AFS approves almost any family configuration – single parent, traditional two parent, young children, or no children. The main stipulation is that the student have their own bed and not share a bedroom with more than one other person of the same gender. Plus they need a quiet place to study and three meals a day.
Meet Lualinda from Brazil, a music loving and sporty girl. Lualinda very much enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In their free time, her family does activities together, such as going to the beach or to the movies, or simply sharing a meal. She’s quite athletic, and enjoys playing volleyball as well as dancing.
Meet Marco from Italy, Marco likes to cook with his mother, and go to the beach in the summer with his family. He is a good swimmer and loves to go hiking. He gets peace from being in nature! It is also a way to explore more science, and Marco loves science!
We have applications arriving daily from around the world, and these students are anxious to get to know their American families. As soon as the paperwork is done and the background checks completed, you may begin communications and getting involved in the student’s life.
Hosting enriches the life of a student beyond belief, but the rewards gained by the host family are too numerous to mention. If in doubt contact any former or current host family – the Raymond McFarlane family, the Brian Spradling family, the Warren Gomes family, to mention only a few. If you are even a little bit interested go on line: AFSUSA.org, click on hosting and check out the possiblities or give Natalie Crew 707-373-5780 a call, and she will assist in any way possible. Nows the time to get involved if you’ve ever even remotly considered learning about the world around us.