UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 10, Page 8
November 3, 1994
ELI seeking accommodations for 15 Nicaraguan students

     The English Language Institute is seeking local families and
organizations to participate in the homestay component of the
Nicaraguan Peace Scholarship Program, scheduled to begin on the Newark
campus in January.
     Local churches and service organizations are being asked to
"adopt" two or more Nicaraguan participants and help place them in
homes within their membership for periods ranging from three to nine
months. Host families will be compensated.
     Fifteen young Nicaraguan men and women, all of whom had their
education interrupted by Nicaragua's protracted civil war, will be
spending l8 months in Delaware being trained as food science
technicians. The members of this diverse group, coming from a variety
of regional and political backgrounds, have been carefully selected
because of their exceptional levels of motivation and personal
initiative and for their strong desire to serve as leaders in the
reconstruction and development of their country.
     As an integral part of their orientation to the American
lifestyle and value system, the Nicaraguan students will be housed
with local families. Families will be asked to provide the students
with two meals per day and will be compensated accordingly. The
students will be given lunch on the campus and also will be given a
monthly stipend to cover personal expenses.
     "Far more than simply providing room and board, however, families
will have the chance to offer the Nicaraguans a home-away-from-home
and an opportunity to experience American culture firsthand," Grant
Wolf, English Language Institute instructor and academic coordinator
for the program, said.
     "Past experiences with homestay programs have shown them to be a
richly rewarding source of cultural exchange and friendship, to
students and hosts alike. Families often maintain ties with their
student guests for many years and come to regard them as members of
their extended family," he said.
     Organizations interested in learning more about the program can
contact Wolf at 831-3215 or 831-2674.