As a brand new transfer student hundreds of miles away from her home and family in South Korea, fourth-year College student Hyoyeol Chong found herself with nowhere to go during the holidays last fall. Because of the high cost of returning home, Chong planned to remain alone on Grounds for Thanksgiving until a friend offered to host her at her home in Northern Virginia.
Having nowhere to go is a problem many international students face. But now, a new website, The Fondu, aims to match international students with others from the University who wish to host them.
Launched this summer by third-year College student Harry Whelchel, the site allows international students to list where in the United States they would like to stay and matches them with students who live in these regions. Similarly, students who sign up to host international students can choose which region of the world they want their guest to be from.
He explained the name of the website, The Fondu, is a play on the word "fondue," or the idea that international students, through the home-stay service, are being "dipped" into the American melting pot.
Whelchel was inspired to start the service last spring, after he and a friend from China discussed the difficulties many international students have transitioning and assimilating to the University community. Few services like it exist, although Economics Prof. Ken Elzinga has long hosted students staying at school during Thanksgiving at his home.
After a friend of Whelchel's raved about his visit to a mutual friend's home in Tennessee during Thanksgiving Break, Whelchel decided to attempt recreating a similar experience for other students.
"Usually, international students don't have a home to go to in the U.S.," Chong said. "They can feel comfortable [using the website] because many can't go home during the holidays."
Second-year College student Tuonan Li, who hosted an international student at his home in Tennessee during Thanksgiving last fall, explained that many international students study in the United States so that they can learn about American culture. Through The Fondu, he hopes that more foreign students can better accomplish this goal.
By making it easier for international students to find student hosts for holiday breaks, Whelchel said he wants to alleviate the initial challenge of transitioning to a brand new culture that international students often may face.
In addition to ensuring international students do not feel as though they have no place to go during breaks, Li said the website fits in well with the University culture, in that it fosters relationships and diversity among students.
Currently, the website, which Whelchel built himself, is available only for University students. In the future, however, Whelchel hopes to expand to other universities across the country.
"I'm trying to start small and see where it goes," he said.
Although Li admits that there are similar programs available at the University, which allow students to find groups on Grounds during breaks for activities and meals, he emphasized that The Fondu is different since it specifically allows students of different backgrounds and cultures to interact and spend time with students who reside in the United States.
Not only can international students reap many benefits from the home-stay service, but American students can as well, Li emphasized, acknowledging that domestic students who participate can learn about other cultures by hosting students from other countries. "It is especially helpful to those learning a second language," he said.
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