Wanted: Families To Host Italian Students in July

UPDATED: Originally posted on July 1.

Updated to note that placement is needed just for 1 girl and 2 boys as of noon on July 2.

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An Italian High School leadership program is bringing 14 international students to Framingham in mid-July.

The high school students were selected to take part in this pilot initiative and will arrive in the Commonwealth for a 3-week program.

Each student will live with a local family to discover what day to day life is like in typical North American households.

During the weekdays the students will have a full ‘camp-like’ leadership enhancement program. It will include 9 hours of English classes per week, workshops on U.S. politics and government, as well as sightseeing trips to Boston and local attractions.

However, the program is still is in need of families to take in 9 students -- 6 male teens and 3 female teens.

Families are asked to provide a bed (a room can be shared with a host sibling) and meals at home.

A stipend is provided to offset the costs of hosting.

The hope is that the program will become reciprocal, with a group of American teens traveling to Italy on a leadership program next year.

The 14 high school students will arrive from Italy on Sunday, July 12.

The formal program starts on Monday, July 13 and runs through Friday, July 31.

The students return on Sunday, August 2.

During the program, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the students will either be in ESL classes, local activities or special day long excursions.

The afternoons that they have ESL classes will be spent doing local “fun” stuff like movies/mall, bowling, roller skating, etc. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be reserved for all day excursions to places like Plymouth Plantation, Six Flags, etc.

Host families/individuals are expected to provide them a room and 3 meals per day and are responsible for them in the evenings and weekends.

Families with younger children should really consider joining the program, as they can give their children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an older sibling and a role model.

Families with or without children, retirees, empty nesters and single persons are welcome to apply.

The students prepared delicious recipes to share with their hosts and will be happy to treat them to some amazing authentic dishes.

If interested in hosting a student email Drita at drita@mapatranslation.com for more information.