LFIS Friendship Family Tips

Become a friend to the student.  Students may need advice, information about La Crosse, a ride to the airport, or to Wal Mart or Target. But most host families will state that students rarely ask for help.

MEET YOUR STUDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME

Please make contact as soon as possible after you have a student assigned to you.  It is the HOST family’s responsibility to make the INITIAL contact.  This is not always easy.  It may require some persistence on your part.  When contact is made get an idea of their schedule, suggest exchanging cell phone numbers and/or e-mails.

No doubt the best way is to invite them into your home for a meal, although you may have met them at one of the LFIS group activities for incoming students and host families. The Annual Welcome picnic at Myrick Park, at the beginning of fall semester, is always a great start to the school year and for the host family to meet their student.

Opportunities to Sample Life in the U.S. & in the La Crosse area

• Any apple orchard trip or corn maze (La Crescent, Gays Mills, Eckers Apple Orchard / Hootenanny

• Elmaro for Cheese plate/beverage

• Fall immigration of the Tundra Swans in Brownsville—second or third week in November

• Norskedalen Halloween

• Carving pumpkins at your home

• Sparta Haunted House

• La Crosse Curling club—talk to a leader for a lesson or just observe it.

• Hiking Trails—Myrick, Hixon Forest etc.

• Sparta Biking trail

• Lunch or out to dinner at: Rudy’s, Waterfront on the patio, Matsumoto Ramen House in Sparta, The Pearl Ice Cream, Rice and Spice by campus, Fork and Fable, Freight House, Rocky Rococo, Hacienda

• Invite students to a Concert or Symphony

• Woodman’s or WalMart car rides for food for their rooms (snacks)

• Weber Center events

• Attend UWL, Viterbo and WTC athletic events

• Ft. Mc Coy snow tubing (White Tail Ridge)

• Ice Skating

• Mt. La Crosse skiing or snowboarding

• Snow shoeing

• When possible include student(s) on a trip to another city or place of interest

  • Trip to Madison or Milwaukee

  • Mall of America

  • Minnesota Institute of Art

  • Minnesota Zoo or Arboretum

  • Major league baseball or football game

• Invite them to a special holiday gathering with your family

• Try to include them when something interesting and/or typical Americana occurs—state or county fair comes to mind. 

• Include them in your everyday ordinary activities occasionally

 Contact Frequency

This is up to each family and is quite variable depending on your family situation. Some families see their students once or twice a month.  Others might see their students once every other month. It is hoped that the frequency is enough to ensure a positive experience.