This winter, Mt. Hood Community College will welcome another group of students from Ryukoku University in Koyoto, Japan, for its inbound study abroad program. As many as a dozen students from Japan are expected to study at the college, beginning February 10 and ending the first week of March.

MHCC is currently seeking host families to house Ryukoku students during their entire stay. The students vary in age from 18 to 24 years old. Host families are expected to provide breakfast and dinner, and must speak English while the guest student is present. An individual bedroom is preferred for each student, along with easy access to public transportation or a carpool. A stipend will be provided to help defray the costs.

To ensure the safety of the students, a criminal background check will be conducted. A mandatory host family orientation will be held on the MHCC campus on the evening of Jan. 19, 2018.

The Ryukoku@MHCC Winter Program is a cultural exchange program started in 1996. Students from Ryukoku University study at MHCC with the purpose of enhancing their knowledge of American culture and their English language reading and writing skills through interactions with their host families and with students, faculty, and staff at the college.

Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to Noon, Ryukoku students learn English in their English as a Foreign Language class. They have mandatory field trips and activities scheduled some afternoons and on the weekend. Host families and MHCC helper students have opportunities to join some of these trips and activities.

For additional requirements and more information on how to become a host family, please email Yoko Sato at Yoko.Sato@mhcc.edu or call 503-491-7126 before Jan. 12, 2018. You can learn more about the inbound program at mhcc.edu/JapaneseWinterInboundProgram/