Category: Uncategorized

November is the American Thanksgiving month…the time of the year when we give thanks for the many good things we have in our life- both the big things, like our family and the ability to study abroad and even the small things, like cell phones and great food. Being grateful has many benefits for mind, body, and soul. Let’s look at some of these advantages.

Gratitude Improves:

1. Physical Health– Grateful people have overall better health. Research has shown that the more people show gratitude, the more they participated in healthier activities resulting in better actual health. Gratitude can lead to better moods and better sleep resulting in better heart health and lower amounts of inflammation in the body. 
2. Psychological Health– Being thankful reduces the amount of unhealthy emotions a person carries that can lead to frustration and regret. Gratitude causes the brain to produce an increase in dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter related to feelings of pleasure and reward-motivated behavior. Practically, this means a thankful mind can have a positive impact on how you feel and behave.
3. Empathy– Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. New research has shown that grateful people were more compassionate (more loving) because they were empathetic….they could identify with other people’s emotions. There is a benefit to us by showing empathy- we feel more connected to others.
4. Sleep: Spending a few minutes each day writing down what you are thankful for helps you sleep better and longer. Counting your blessings decreases your worries resulting in more restful sleep.
5. Self-esteem: Research has shown feeling generous to others generates positive feelings about yourself. In the same way, feeling good about yourself, also makes you want to share that goodness with others creating a positivity cycle. Being grateful also reduces social comparisons. Rather than feeling resentful towards others who have more than you, which can affect your self-esteem, thankful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.

Gratitude Decreases:

1. Risk of Depression: Expressing feelings of gratitude can lead to fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety symptoms. “Gratitude is the way by which we remind ourselves that not everything is bad and there are blessings we can focus on,” says Sanam Hafeez, M.D., a neuropsychologist and Columbia University faculty member. Having gratitude helps you feel motivated to achieve your goals, and achieving your goals keeps you grateful, which can protect you against depression and other mental health difficulties. Gratitude increases mental strength and resilience and can help overcome stress and trauma.
2. Stress Levels: Practicing thankfulness has been shown to improve emotional regulation, which is the ability to control our feelings. One study looked at participants’ heart rate before, during, and after experiencing gratitude compared to resentment. When an individual focused on things they were grateful for, their heart rates decreased- a changed associated with calmness. Also pictures of the brain show that when communicating gratitude, the part of the brain correlated with calmness was more active.

Now is a great time to start practicing thankfulness. What separates gratitude from thankfulness is intention. Gratitude is the quality of thankfulness…it’s something you intentionally choose to focus on and practice. It is more than just a feeling, but rather an action. Showing gratitude allows you to reap the benefits emotionally and physically, but also encourages us to cultivate an attitude of giving to others.

“Say thank you to the Lord for being so good, for always being so loving and kind.”

Psalm 107:1 (TLB)

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

Guest Contributor: David Young, AHLI Board Director

For many of you, this is the first time you have lived away from home. And while you are still living with a family here in the United States, you are developing into independent men and women. With this maturity, comes the ability to manage your own money. Even if money is still coming from your parents, it is important to develop budgeting skills to be fiscally responsible now and in preparation for when you are living independently.

When thinking about budgeting…

Determine your available income:

1. Calculate your monthly spending money (the money you receive)
2. Divide your monthly money for your weekly income available to spend

Determine your expenses:

1. Calculate your monthly estimated expenses
   • ​cell phone bill
   • video and music streaming apps
   • haircuts, medications, clothes
   • “extras”: nails, video games, movies, restaurants
   • (when older, include car payment, insurance, rent, electricity, etc.)
2. Divide your monthly expenses to know how much you spend on average per week.

Now that you know your income and expenses monthly and weekly, you are able to closely monitor your spending.   

If you pay for things with credit cards it may be easy to overspend. You must keep watch of your credit card spending just as if you were spending cash. Remember, any credit card balance not paid on the due date will cost you interest of 18% or more. This will quickly put you in debt. 

Budgeting your spending takes extreme discipline. Do not spend more money than you have coming in. 

Saving:

1. When your expenses are less than your income, you will have a savings, which can be kept for unexpected future needs or a special want.    
2. Identify the larger “want items” that you should save for, such as a new gaming system, or name brand clothes/shoes and set an amount of money each week you will put aside to save for that item. 

What are the benefits of handling money well when you are young? 

When you stay within your budget (using the money you have), you will be able to cover your needs and plan to purchase the items you want, as well as stay out of debt. In the U.S., your financial management is measured by a credit score, with 850 being perfect credit. Creditors will be more willing to loan money at better (lower) interest rates for cars, homes, school loans, to those with higher credit scores. Learn to think long-term…you will save yourself stress if you make smart choices now and live within your means.

David Young, AHLI Board Director

You are part of a wonderful community of AHLI students from many different countries, coming from a variety of cultures celebrating unique holidays. Usually in this blog we talk about American holidays, but this month we thought we would share September holidays from countries around the world, including those from your home countries!

USA: Labor Day (September 1)

Labor Day celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of American workers to the national economy. The federal holiday was founded in 1894 after several years of labor activists pushing for change in safety conditions and long working hours. Labor Day now represents the end of Summer by recognizing the holiday on the first Monday in September. Today, families often gather for barbeques and picnics before the weather starts to turn cooler into the fall season.

Japan: Respect for the Aged Day (September 20)

Japan and Palau are the only countries in the world to have a holiday honoring the elderly. This relatively “young” national holiday was designated in 1966, and occurs on the third Monday of September.  Respecting the elderly is very important to Japanese culture, so this day is set aside to volunteer, offer service, and show appreciation to the older generation.

South Korea: Chuseok/Thanksgiving (September 20-23)

Like American Thanksgiving, Chuseok celebrates a good harvest, but is centered around the lunar calendar. People return to their family homes to celebrate. A common food eaten during the holiday is songpyeon, which is a rice cake stuffed with sesame seeds, black beans, mung beans, cinnamon, pine nuts, walnuts, chestnut jujube, and honey. It is traditional for the entire family to make songpyeon together on the eve of Chuseok.

China: Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival (September 21)

This holiday is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar with a full moon. This holiday is observed in many Asian countries. Lanterns of all sizes and shapes are carried, floated in the sky, or displayed to light people’s paths for the future. Mooncakes, which are a rich pastry filled with sweet-bean, egg yolk, lotus-seed paste are traditionally eaten during this festival.

We hope that while you are here in the United States, you will be able learn and enjoy new cultural traditions. Holidays are a great way to better understand your new ‘adopted’ country, and to make friends. Are there American holidays you are looking forward to experiencing this year?

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

AHLI is happy to welcome new and returning students to the 2021-2022 school year. As you settle into your host family and jump back into school, you may be experiencing a range of emotions from excitement to apprehension. Going into an unfamiliar situation, whether after a long time or for the first time can stir up feelings of uneasiness and anxiety. Every teenager wants to meet people like themselves and feel like they fit in. It can be easy to put a lot of energy into convincing others to think you are awesome or cool. But there is a better way to make more friends faster. Here are 6 ways to start off the year with confidence to build friendships.

Smile! 

While it can be difficult to smile in new situations, it’s a great ice breaker. Research tells us that people tend to “mirror” (reflect) the emotions of people they see. So if you have a positive energy, you are more likely to attract positive people around you.  

Remember Names

Put effort into remembering a person’s name when you are introduced to them. Your name is part of your identity, and when you remember a name, you show that you are interested in them as an individual. If you call everyone “friend” or “hey you,” people will be less inclined to befriend you.

Listen to Others

Everybody appreciates being heard. While you may want to tell everyone how interesting you are, being a good friend involves listening to others. Asking questions is a fast way to get to know people and make them feel heard. Ask questions using who/what/where/when/why/how, instead of just questions that can be answered with yes or no. As you listen, you can find your similarities which is a big part of building new friendships.

Build on Common Ground

Listening is the first step of making friends, but you cannot stop there. You will need to participate in conversations, too. If you are too shy to talk or don’t want to share about yourself, then people will not want to keep engaging. Find points of common connection to build on the conversation, whether it be in areas of movies, sports, favorite class subjects, hobbies, or plans after high school. 

Focus on the Few

Being popular doesn’t mean you have a hundred friends. There is a difference between being friendly and being a friend. It’s important to be friendly…say “hi” to those you pass in the hallway, smile, and look for ways to be kind. But being a friend means spending time with people and being available to listen and share. You will have a much happier school experience if you spend quality time with a few people than if you are just friendly with the whole school. Having close friends adds value to your life, and you add value to theirs. This is more priceless than 500 “friends” on Snapchat.

Be Yourself

Don’t change who you are just to fit in. There are many types of people at school, and lots of opportunities to make friends. Be patient, and keep looking for ways to meet new students. Stay open to learning about others. Your friends don’t have to have all the same interests as you. This is what keeps life interesting. You can share new things with each other. Friends should encourage each other to be the best versions of themselves. 

“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul”

Proverbs 27:9 

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

On behalf of AHLI, it is my great privilege to say Congratulations to our 52 graduates! Your journey has not been an easy one compared to your fellow students. You have braved a new country, a new culture, a new language, a new home, and a new school- all to make your way to this summit. As you look back on the path you have travelled, you will remember challenges, adventures, hopefully laughs, and many people who have supported you to rise up to the apex on which you stand. Take a look around at the magnificent view you have. It is quite the accomplishment!

During your stay, many people have prayed to God for your success- your teachers, host families, Directors, Coordinators, and AHLI staff.  You have not walked alone. When the path was difficult, you were encouraged to lean on the eternal Heavenly Father who created you, and cares about you. When you were tempted to quit, you were reminded of Psalm 46:1-3:

“God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.”

And you kept going…climbing higher and higher toward your goal.

But the interesting thing about a summit is that it is a point on a surface that is only higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. You have reached this summit, but there is higher to go- you’re not done yet. For many of you, that means going to university, for others, it means returning to your home country to pursue job interests.  A comedian once said:

 “Stop staring at mountains. Climb them instead, yes, it’s a harder process but it will lead you to a better view.”

So take a moment and revel in this achievement, and then put your hiking boots back on and focus on the next summit.  Your Dreams Await! 

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

Here are words of encouragement from a few of our Directors to all of our students, both graduating and continuing….

The COVID-19 vaccine has now been made available to everyone 12 years old and older, residing in the U.S. The two shot vaccine requires up to 28 days to be administered in addition to time needed to make the appointment arrangement. Current students may not have the needed time to obtain it before their planned departure. The vaccines have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use only.

Recognizing that some students may wish to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination, the AHLI COVID-19 Vaccination Release Form must be signed first. AHLI would like the natural parents to be informed of this opportunity, although AHLI and its affiliates will not be advising the students either way on this decision. AHLI wishes this decision to be totally dependent on the assessment of the student and their natural parents.

Prior to a student taking action to schedule a vaccination appointment, they must have their natural parents request the Release Form from their agent if the parent is working with an agent. The Release Form is to be signed, scanned and emailed to the AHLI office at tiffaneew@amhomelife.org 

The AHLI COVID-19 Release Form can be downloaded here:

AHLI COVID-19 Vaccine Release Form

You probably have been told that in addition to SAT scores, colleges consider your essay and extracurricular activities when making an acceptance decision. College acceptance committees look for well-rounded, mature, young leaders to invite into their community. Volunteering is a way to display your interests and develop your own character through helping others.

Volunteering will distinguish you from the thousands of applications that colleges receive every year. To be a good global citizen you should be willing to give back to those around you. There are hundreds of national and local organizations in your hometown (both abroad and in your home country) that you can contact for volunteer opportunities. You do not need to have a lot of time to offer in order to volunteer. There can be 1-time opportunities, such as volunteering at a walk-a-thon, or doing a neighborhood clean-up. Examples of on-going opportunities are weekly tutoring of elementary students, or working at an animal shelter.

Finding a volunteer opportunity that connects with you is a way to showcase your interests and goals. Demonstrating your priorities through actions speaks louder than words! Take the time to be thoughtful in how you would like to volunteer so you can be purposeful in giving of your time. Your school or church can be a good starting place for learning of how you can give of your time. Volunteering can often be reflective of your career goal and help you learn more of something you’re already passionate about. If you want to study environmental biology, volunteer with a local Sierra Club. If you are thinking about becoming a physician, volunteer at a local hospital in guest services. Interested in marketing or IT? There are even opportunities to offer your expertise in web-design to non-profits. Try UnitedWay or volunteermatch.org for local volunteer opportunities. Be sure to talk with your host parents before committing to ensure it is a reputable organization and a safe opportunity.

Helping others shows dedication and commitment as well as a belief in something bigger than yourself. I Peter 4:10 says,

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another.”

We all have been blessed with talents and abilities. By helping those around us we uplift our entire community. So while volunteering will give you a great topic to write about in your college application essay, you may just be surprised that while you give by volunteering, you actually receive much, much more!

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

As we “March” into April, many of you are thinking of what comes after high school. As you prepare for post-secondary, such as college or university, we wanted to give you an international student’s perspective on taking this next big step in life. Each year, there are more than a million international students studying in colleges/universities in the U.S.! It’s exciting, but can also be overwhelming, especially when facing it in a country that is not quite home.

Read down below for one student’s experience and advice.

Sincerely,

Tiffanee M. Wright, MA, MPH | Executive Director
AHLI – International Education and Homestay

Name: Antonella Di Guido                                                         

Age: 24 years old                                                

Hometown: Pozzuoli (Province of Naples, which is in Southern Italy)

Can you tell us about yourself, your family and what brought you to America?

“I am currently in my senior year at Lancaster Bible College, Pennsylvania majoring in Intercultural Studies (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – TESOL). I love languages, and my hope is to be able to help people learn languages. My other passions include reading, writing, music, dancing and food. I hope to write a book one day, and produce my own music album.

Here is a photo of me and my family (dad and mom on the right; my brother-in-law, younger brother on the left, and my older sister in the middle above me).”

“My dream as a little girl was to learn English so I could be an interpreter and visit America. Little did I know that my dream would come true after I graduated from high school. I had the opportunity to travel with my church to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to be an interpreter for an event. It was there that I was introduced to an American family, and Lancaster Bible College.”

What are some of the cultural differences between your home country and America? 

“The Southern Italian culture is very spontaneous, warm, welcoming, unstructured (and full of hugs). I have had to get used to the culture where I am now where things seem more defined, formal, and time oriented. Needless to say, I miss food from home! Also, mealtimes from where I come from are all about the enjoyment of the food and company, where people take their time to eat and have conversations that go on and on. Mealtimes here in America seem to be quicker and a bit rushed.” 

What do you appreciate the most about your college experience? 

“I would say the professors, friendships and academics. I feel like my professors care about me and want to help me succeed. The meaningful connections/friendships I have made are very important to me since they are a “home away from home.” I also enjoy the academic component of college; all my classes (even the difficult ones!) are interesting and engaging. I find them meaningful as they are applicable to my passions and pursuits.”

What were some of the challenges faced, and how did you overcome them?

“The biggest one for me (and for most international students) is dealing with culture shock. I have learned to recognize the signs (frustration, anger, loneliness), so I can deal with it sooner rather than let it overwhelm me later. I have found it helpful to have open communication with others. 

Another challenge that I had faced was exhaustion. I am an overachiever by nature. I have learned that it takes me longer to understand my course work since English is my second language. Now I expect that, and I plan my time accordingly. Having one day a week to rest and not focus on schoolwork has helped me greatly.” 

What advice would you have for a fellow international student who is transitioning from high school to college? 

“My advice would be to start preparing yourself the summer before your freshman year of college. The pace and demands of college are different from high school. You will need to give yourself some time to adjust, and set new rhythms. Do not underestimate the workload; discipline will be your friend. 

Also, balance is key – balance between socializing (friendships) and having alone time to decompress. Balance between staying close to your own culture and immersing in the new culture.

Very importantly, give yourself some grace, identify a few people you can trust and ask for help when needed”

AHLI is happy to welcome new and returning students to the 2021-2022 school year. As you settle into your host family and jump back into school, you may be…