Douffy Youm from Senegal was an FFIS homestay student many years ago. He graduated and worked his way up to become an executive at Nike in Portland, but still kept in touch with his FFIS host family.
The family hosted four University of Oregon international students prior to the fall term. One of the students is interested in the sports business, so the family reached out to Douffy to see how he could help.
Douffy (in the green sweatshirt) invited them all to Portland and gave them a tour of the Nike campus. Everyone had a great time and a memorable experience that they can share with family and friends back home. You never know what special moments might be created when participating in this program!
The FFIS Homestay Program matches international students with local community volunteers for a short-term homestay when the student first arrives in Lane County. Volunteers open their hearts and home to young adults far from home, helping them to get oriented and settled. The friendships built during that brief period often last well beyond when the student has returned to their native country. Homestay families have created many fond memories for the students that they’ve hosted.
If you’d like to host an international student in FFIS’ Homestay Program, contact Becky Megerssa, UO Liaison, at 541-346-1436 or ffis@uoregon.edu.
Friendship Foundation for International Students 