Office of the Dean of Student Affairs

About Host Family Program

"I love my host family as if they are real blood family and what is even more, I love them as friends. I don't think I would have stayed at Bowdoin without their support and company."
- Yana Domuschieva '04 (Bulgaria)

"Living half a world away from my native home, Thailand, I am very fortunate to have the Hutchins as my family at Bowdoin. My host Mom (Margaret) and Dad (John) and their sons and daughter help me feel at home. They invite me to dinners, theatre plays and parties, and this has helped me miss home so much less. During break when most of my friends go back to their homes, I am always welcome to stay with them or leave my belongings at their place. "Mom and Dad" always remember to attend and celebrate important events such as parents' weekend, programs that I am a part of and my birthday. This makes me feel like I really have an extended family, besides my family in Thailand, that cares for me. In addition to these wonderful things that they have done, they always make me feel that I have a space in their family when they say, "we're very proud of you and love you." Thank you for being my "Mom and Dad," and I love you."
- Ay Prachumwat '02 (Thailand)

"They are my second family. I could not find better people here than them. They really make me feel at home and helped me get used to the "climate" here much faster."
- Lyubitsa Gerasimova '05 (Bulgaria)

"Thanks to our families, we had a closer experience of Maine and the American way of life. Our host parents showed us nice places in the area, gave us the opportunity to meet new people and made us feel more involved in the Brunswick community. We will go back to Europe with charming memories, such as a lobster party on the coast, lovely meals in restaurants or an unforgettable Thanksgiving invitation. We thank you for having shared American moments with us, and we also thank you because you were always curious to learn about our own cultures, thus making us feel like at home."
- Mirja (Germany), Raquel (Spain), Rozenne and Myriam (France), Teaching Fellows

"I am really glad that I took part in the Host Family Program at Bowdoin. Ever since I arrived, my host family has been the second home to me. They have been really supportive and helpful to me in my transition to life in America. It is always great to have the chance to spend time with an American family, enjoy homey good food and take part in the various family activities, all of which have added so much to my experience being in the US. Also, the opportunity to learn about American culture by being a member of the family, as well as to help them understand more about my own culture, is extremely rewarding."
- Hai Anh Vu '04 (Vietnam)