Overview:
The International Student Holiday Hospitality/Homestay Tours are organized by International Friendship Ministries (IFM), a non-profit Christian organization founded in 1981 to provide a variety of services to international students in the U.S.A. We have been offering tours since the early 1980s. Our tours are open to international students, scholars, and families of all nationalities and religious backgrounds. You’ll be joining thousands of students (of 110 different nationalities studying on over 400 campuses in 47 states) who have participated in IFM’s hospitality tours. IFM’s headquarters is located in Columbia, South Carolina.
IFM’s tours are designed to give international students, scholars, visitors, and their families an opportunity to...
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Get away from campus during holidays,
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meet new friends,
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discover more about the Bible and Christianity, and
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visit some of America's most popular attractions--at discount rates!
A university campus is a lonely place during holidays and breaks. Come spend it with some other students who can’t go home for the holidays, at substantially lower rates than you would pay for a commercial tour. Our tours are designed with the special needs of international students in mind. We don’t talk too fast, and we explain unfamiliar English words. We select only the most worthwhile sites to visit so you don’t waste time, and give you some historical background about each place so that you are not at a disadvantage. We also provide accommodations at the lowest possible prices without sacrificing quality.
Experience American culture close-up in the hospitality of an American home.
Many students spend years in America and never stay in an American home for a few days. We carefully select our host families through churches in the tour areas to make your experience as pleasant as possible in wholesome surroundings. Many of our host families report that they are still in touch with the students they hosted several years ago, and some students have visited their host families again at a later time. This is not only an opportunity to observe American culture up close, but also to make lifelong friends!
Attend a brief session on America's Christian heritage.
Many Americans are Christians, and our government is based on Judeo-Christian values. You won’t understand our culture completely unless you learn some basic things about the faith that shaped the views of our founding fathers. We will also give interesting background about the particular holidays that we are celebrating at the time, and you will get to celebrate them firsthand with your host family.