Happy New Year 2014 From Mark's Homestay!

Happy New Year's to all of our Mark's Homestay family!!!

Thank you hosts and students for making this year an amazing year for us and for cultural exchange in Atlanta!

New Years is one of our favorite holidays because it is an occasion that people all around the world have in common! In America, it is often customary to watch the big shiny ball drop in times square, New York City, make new year resolutions on how we plan to improve next year, or drink some champagne and kiss a loved one at midnight. But other parts of the world have a few of their own traditions.

Caracas, Venezuela's New Year's Eve Celebration

I traveled to Caracas, Venezuela during New Year's one year and found that this country has some of the most interesting New Year's Eve traditions I have ever witnessed. At the stroke of midnight, people carrying suitcases ran out of their houses and filled the streets with laughter and smiles, hoping that the ritual would bring more opportunities to travel in the new year. Others eat 12 grapes, signifying luck for each month of the year.

Here is an article about all the different ways people around the world celebrate the New Year!

How does your family celebrate New Years? Let us know! Send a photo to sam@markshomestay.com.

Here's wishing you and yours a very happy new year from Mark's Homestay!! 

Make this the year that you discover the joys of hosting. Visit www.markshomestay.comwww.markshomestay.com for more information and to apply.

Christmas Merriment With ELS Atlanta Hosts and Students

Students were surprised by a special visitor from the North Pole!

For international students at ELS-Atlanta on campus at Southern Polytechnic, Christmas came early this year. At the annual ELS Atlanta Christmas party, the holiday was in full-swing with a visit from Santa Claus, Christmas carols and gifts.

Santa hands out gifts to students on his "good" list.

There were ear-to-ear smiles and much laughter all around the room as their teacher, dressed as Santa Claus, and his elves (a few ELS staff) led them through traditional Christmas songs such as "The 12 Days of Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

Then after food and Christmas cookies, Santa read student's names off of his "good students list" and each student who brought a gift to exchange received one. The students could not hold back the laughter and smiles at the sight of their teacher dressed as old St. Nick.

Learn more about hosting a student with Mark's Homestay

Several host parents showed up to take part in the festivities as well!

Host parent Angela Green showed up to get in on the holiday fun with her homestay students!

International students all over Atlanta are enjoying Christmas with their host families this week. Holiday traditions and stories about cultures are sure to be shared. For several of the students, Christmas was a holiday widely celebrated in their home country - but for others it was their first taste of Christmas magic.

Learn more about staying with an American host family while studying English

Although Christmas is celebrated in many other countries, each country has it's own way of celebrating and it's own holiday culture. For one former ELS student, Gustavo Machado, the holiday was similar but different at the same time.

"The holiday was very similar - people gave gifts and we sang songs and lit up a tree, but we called Santa 'San Nicolás' instead. And we wrote letters to baby Jesus instead of Santa. It's fun to see the similarities and differences of the holiday in different countries," says Machado.

How will you share holiday traditions with your homestay students this year?

Mark's Homestay On Ice: New International Students Have Some Fun On The Rink!

Mark's Homestay joined new international students on Friday for some fun on the ice at Atlantic Station's "Winter Wonderland" Ice Skating Rink! The students are studying the English language with ELS Atlanta (English Language Services) on the Southern Polytechnic University campus in Marietta. 

International students from Brazil on the ice skating rink at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, Georgia.

One homestay student from Brazil who is staying with a family in Marietta said she was really enjoying the trip to the rink. "There aren't many ice rinks back home at all. I don't get to ice skate a lot! This is really nice," she said. She really enjoys living with her homestay family and loves going hiking with her mom on Kennesaw Mountain, near where they live. "Me and my host mom go there a lot. I really love it."

Learn more about becoming a host for international students in metro Atlanta

The ELS student group. They really enjoyed the cultural experience and each other's company!

The students came from countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Japan to experience American culture and improve their English language skills. Many of them are looking for American families to stay with in order to improve their English and experience American culture.

"All my room mates are from Saudi Arabia too, so we just speak Arabic only to each other all the time. I want to get into a homestay with an American family so I will practice English more," said one student.

Students from Saudi Arabia

The trip downtown was a first for many of the students. Mark's Homestay and ELS take students on excursions to let them experience the culture of the city and it also serves as a nice break from studying. The holidays are a perfect time for international students to experience some truely American traditions. 

ELS students on skates!

As we traversed Atlantic Station, we took in sights such as busy shoppers hurrying to get their Christmas shopping done, Santa Claus in a sled being pulled around by a train full of children, and an array of decorations and lights lining each street we passed. While Christmas is celebrated in many countries, here in America we are uniquely enthusiastic about the holiday, and it is a joy to rediscover this time of year with our students who are experiencing it here in the states for the first time. 

Here at Mark's Homestay, we hope that you will join us on our next cultural adventure; and that you will consider hosting an international student this holiday season!

Atlanta's Rich Cultural Neighborhoods Are a Learning Experience for Students

Atlanta has a unique culture among major cities in the US. There are countless avenues for foreign visitors to explore the distinct flavor of this southern city through it's soulful food, music and traditions. However, like other U.S. cities, the rich cultural experience that Atlanta offers is in great part because of it's many international influences.

Learn about experiencing Atlanta with Mark's Homestay

Atlanta is home to many of it's own international communities which bring the special traditions and lifestyles of those countries right to our front door. These neighborhoods, restaurants, arts centers and more are a great place to go to learn about these colorful cultures. One of Atlanta's most well known locations for these international communities is concentrated along the bustling Buford Highway.

Learn more about Atlanta's unique neighborhoods

Named "best neighborhood for diversity" by Creative Loafing Atlanta in their 2011 "Ultimate Neighborhood Guide", the Dekalb County community begins north of Midtown and continues through Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, and part of Gwinnett. Among others, the area is home to Korean, Mexican, Chinese Vietnamese, Indian/South Asian, Central American and Ethiopian communities. With more than 1,000 immigrant owned businesses in the community, Buford Highway is said to have the highest concentration of multi-ethnic owned businesses in the Southeast. And they're not just restaurants and entertainment, among the businesses are a wide array of services including law offices and physical therapy clinics.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Loafing
Buford Highway shopping center signs represent the cultural variety of the community.

Buford Highway has attracted many food-lovers and food-centered events, including the Southern Foodways Alliance's 10th annual 2-day foodie field trip where participants grazed up and down the famous highway. The event celebrated the interaction of southern and foreign cuisine. A Creative Loafing article reports that a "Deep South Dim Sum" as well as Mexican-Southern fusion dishes were among the delectable dishes.

Exchange students who make the decision to attend academic programs here in Atlanta get to enjoy the multi-cultural atmosphere of the city, inside and outside of the perimeter. To learn more about how to live with an American host family while studying in this exciting and rapidly growing city, or to apply to be a host, visit Mark's Homestay online.

Mark's Homestay takes students on The ATL Experience Tour, a 15 mile journey which hits many of Atlanta's most famous and historical destinations. This is a great way to get an introduction to the institutions and communities which make up the heart of the city. Hosts, this is a great way to introduce your students to Atlanta. Contact tours@markshomestay.com to book today!

Students - Apply today to live with a host family in Atlanta, Georgia!