This summer CCWA welcomed 39 Brazilian educators for a homestay experience with families around Northeast Ohio. Nearly two dozen Citizen Diplomat volunteers opened up their homes to international guests for a fun weekend exploring Cleveland and engaging in fun cultural activities. The program is in partnership with Ohio University’s Program of Intensive English.

The program kicked off with a picnic and welcome reception for the Brazilian visitors and CCWA’s Citizen Diplomat volunteers. Held at Lakewood Park alongside Lake Erie, the picnic is where the international visitors first met their host families for the weekend homestay. Guests enjoyed American picnic foods while getting to know one another. The picnic was possible thanks to a grant partnership with Global Ties U.S. and Marriott International.

The program exposed the Brazilian visitors to what life is like in a Midwest city while allowing for the opportunity to share their own culture with their host families. For many of the visitors, the weekend included visits to Cleveland’s top cultural attractions including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland Museum Art. They also shared home cooked meals, attended cookouts, and even made Brazilian dishes with their hosts. “The best part of hosting with CCWA is not just the chance to show them wonders of Cleveland […] but what made their visit particularly meaningful was the human connection we made across differences in nationality, language, culture, and other factors” stated CCWA volunteer Ben Sperry.

Homestay programs such as Fulbright Welcome Weekend help foster cross-cultural understanding and create connections between international visitors and their American hosts. These exchanges are possible thanks to the warm hospitality of volunteers from the Cleveland community. CCWA is grateful for the community’s support and the partnership with Ohio University and grant sponsorship from Global Ties U.S. and Marriott International.

For more information about CCWA’s international exchange programs, click here.