Introducing international students to Americanized versions of sports enjoyed back home can help alleviate homesickness and ease culture shock. For example, cricket fans from India may enjoy watching an outdoor baseball game. If students are interested in basketball, football or hockey, invite coaches or college athletes to give a primer on how the game is played; later take the group to an actual sporting event. As an alternative, you could invite the group to watch games on big screen television and serve typical game day food, such as savory ribs or chicken wings.
You may want to organize a festive get-together to celebrate a uniquely American holiday, such as Thanksgiving, that can include watching parades and eating turkey dinner. Alternatively, the students may be open to a community service project, such as serving Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter. A Thanksgiving feast can be served any day of the year if your main objective is to teach a memorable history lesson on the Puritans’ struggles in Massachusetts before neighboring Indian tribes came to their aid. Although they’re not official holidays, you may want to host a themed-party on Halloween or Valentine’s Day.
Help your students feel at home by showing them around your community. Plan a day to tour the sights and enjoy local attractions, such as a wax museum, tractor pull, family farm, winter carnival or ice fishing contest. Make a stop at the historical society to look at antiques and old photographs. Include a picnic lunch or stop at a café known for home-style cooking. If there’s a county or state fair being held, encourage students to view the exhibits, enjoy the rides and sample unfamiliar foods, such as chili hot dogs or battered fried cheese curds.
Students may enjoy experiencing one or more of the many festivals held throughout the Unites States. Festivals are a rich slice of Americana. Typically, festivals have a distinct regional character, which makes them an interesting learning experience and springboard for further discussion of American culture. For example, upstate New York hosts the MoHu Arts Festival, Georgia organizes the Savannah Music Festival, San Francisco is home to the Fisherman’s Wharf Crab Fest, and Wordstock is a literary festival in Portland, Ore. Festivals are common in cities of all sizes, so you should be able to find a festival within driving distance.