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Stumble It!For the past 54 years, the University of Kansas' Thanksgiving homestay program has allowed international students who are new to America to experience the Thanksgiving holiday. Participating students are placed with families in the area who have signed up to open their homes and share their holiday traditions with the visiting students.
The homestay program is run through KU's International Student and Scholar Services, and students can spend Thanksgiving day or the entire holiday weekend with their host families.
Esterenia Armanto, a sophomore from Indonesia who is studying chemical engineering, says she was glad she had the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with a host family last year. Armanto spent the holiday with the family of Betty Grimwood's son, and Grimwood was the founder of the homestay program.
"I didn't know the family before, so I was getting nervous and I didn't know what to expect," says Armanto. "Then when I got to know them, I just loved them, because they are really cool and nice people."
Students must arrange their own transportation to the homes of their host families. According to International Student and Scholar Services, the homestay program annually places about 30 students with host families for the Thanksgiving holiday.
