Part Two - From America 2013

We are now home safely back in Australia.

Our last week in the USA saw some very exciting developments. 

 

1.     Meeting with Green River College 

We had the great pleasure in meeting Cyndi Rapier –

Director of Housing, International Program and hearing of Green River Community College winning the ‘Paul Simon’ (not the singer) Award being presented at NAFSA. This award acknowledges services to International Students. Cyndi is a champion of standards for International Students and will assist our American Homestay Network Team in spreading the word regarding the right standards for homestay in USA.

That’s one small step……….

2.     Dinner with Chris Evason and the USA Team

It was amazing to meet our friend and partner in Australia in Seattle. Chris was on his way home from the ICEF Toronto Conference where he launched the ICEF Agent TrainingProgram for Canada. He was very pleased with our American Homestay Network progress and looked forward to future updates.  A nice dinner with the USA team.

3.     Chris Bycroft Arrives in Seattle

It was starting to look like a family reunion in Seattle as Chris Bycroft landed to assist with the plans and developments. He was welcomed by the USA team and his in tray quickly filled. Some great ideas coming out of USA relevant for Australia!!!!!

4.     Dinner with Jaime and Erin Quick at their Home

It was great to mix business with pleasure for an excellent team dinner at our PR man Jaime and partner Erin’s place. Fantastic food (banquet style) and the odd glass of good local wine…

5.     BBQ with Doug and Denise

Thanks Doug and Denise, (and kids- Rose and Ruth) for a great night. Doug is our global and IT strategist (and an old friend of David from over 20 years ago in Brisbane). How good was it to have a taste of the first arrivals of Copper River Salmon to Seattle (as well as some prime beef). A fantastic walk around Green Lake and some great strength of character shown to walk past the gourmet ice-cream shop….. (Well at least the first time)…..

6.     Meeting with City of Seattle, International Programs Director.

Had a great chat with Mike from Seattle Council and definitely worth a follow up! Some good opportunities for the Council to help build dramatically the Seattle International Student Program.   Stay tuned.

Now back in the real world!!!!!! 

Ella

Tales from America: AHN Homestay trip report – Week 1

As part of the Australian Homestay Network’s ongoing efforts to increase awareness and standards of homestay around the world, Executive Director David Bycroft and Marketing Manager Ella Balsamo are visiting the U.S., home of more than 700,000 international students – of which a growing percentage are looking to homestay as a viable option for accommodations. Below is a quick trip report from Ella on the team’s first week in America. 

Our first week in Seattle has seen some exciting developments for not only the homestay standards here in the USA (and of course in Australia) but also plans are now afoot to join forces and fix up Homestay globally. We’re excited to be hosted and partnering with our friends here in Seattle who are directing the American Homestay Network (AHN USA), which launched in 2012 to address the growing demand by international students in America for homestay, and to increase the overall standards in the country. Not dissimilar to our efforts when we were beginning AHN, the AHN USA team is eager to help students, hosts and educators have a safe, rewarding cultural experience.

Also in week one, AHN USA rolled out its ‘Regional Agency Program’ which is a chance for AHN Homestay to regionalise quickly into the major States of the USA. Australia will now also expand its own regional roll out program to ensure that we can get to those hard to get to regions that need us.

Last Thursday we had great pleasure in being invited to the Mayor of Seattle’s Sister City Associations Reception as part of our affiliation with the World Affairs Council here in Seattle. This was a great event and really helps encourage cultural exchange. A fantastic function with lots of interest in standards based Homestay and what AHN was doing in both countries. We had an informal but productive chat with representatives of Boeing in Seattle and there are some great opportunities for exchange type programs.

Saturday we were invited by Michelle Harden from our USA team to a Seattle Race Day at Emerald Downs. Race 4 was aptly named the Harden Party Purse and we were pleased to see Horse 5 was called Ryan’s Argument (We have a Ryan working in our Australian Head Office Team). After many bets we watched it win easily at 3 to 1 which we are hoping is a good sign!!!!!!

On Mother’s Day (Sunday, 12^th May) we had the privilege of attending the Seattle Rock Orchestra’s performance of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. All round class act and exceptional value at $20 per ticket.

All in all a great first week with a busy schedule for our next week in the USA.

Cheers,

- Ella