Dear Friends,


Given the tremendous loss of life and continued risk of disease and death as a result of the recent natural disasters in Myanmar ( Burma) and China, on behalf of the board and staff of International House, we want the community to know that our thoughts and prayers are with the immediate survivors as well as their friends and relatives in the Carolinas region. While coordinating local response efforts to international disasters is not a core function of International House, we would ask you to support the relief activities of the Carolinas Asian Chamber of Commerce (of which we are a member) or get involved with the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

One of the core centers of activity within International House involves advocating for people of diverse national backgrounds through the provision of family immigration legal services targeting low-income individuals as well as through civics and literacy programs.

Another core activity area is our Center for International Diversity, which provides opportunity for intercultural dialogue, shared experiences, and relationship building through social and cross-cultural programming. Lastly, the remaining center of activity is our suite of Citizen Diplomacy Programs, which provide opportunities for exchange of ideas, norms, traditions and best practices through international visitor programs.

These three centers of activity within International House improve our collective openness and tolerance at the individual, group, institutional and societal level. Individuals are informed and engaged, groups are empowered, institutions develop culturally competent practices and policies, and the Charlotte region strengthens its global connections and becomes more inclusive and dynamic.

So, you may ask yourself how you can make a difference and at what level. Well, you can involve your faith-based service group by serving as one of our English Tutors for a six-month time period. Or, you can attend or start up a global identity or intercultural group with our institutional support. Or, you can add your company to our database of community resources for hosting international visitors on professional exchange programs.

You can also become a financial supporter of International House's 20th annual benefit gala, our primary source of un- restricted funding which sustains our community programs and services. Or you can simply open your minds and hearts to international folks as we do on a daily basis at International House.

Yours truly,

Bill Garcia
Executive Director

Read More About our Programs and Services

U.S. Trade Policy Group
May 28 - June 1

International House will be hosting 6 economic and trade specialists, policy planners, business people and entrepreneurs, legal specialists, academics, and economic journalists from Brazil, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Mexico, Singapore, and South Africa on the program theme of "U.S. Trade Policy." The Charlotte segment of the program will focus on: regional economic development, impact of international trade agreements, and domestic economic forces. The delegation will be in Charlotte through the International Visitor Leadership Program, a program of International House and the U.S. State Department.

Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection Project
June 2 - 20, 2008

International House will be hosting 4 representatives from Indonesia for a program entitled, "Sustainable Development & Environmental Protection." Visitors include the executive director of the Information Conservation Forum, the vice president of Political Activities in Telepak, the regional program manager of The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, and the founder and chairman of Green Future. The representatives will learn about anti-money laundering initiatives as well as loans for environmentally sustainable business ventures, locally, nationally and internationally.

We are looking for dinner hosts for the evening of June 6, 2008 ! Please contact Lara Printz @ 704-333-8099 if you are interested in hosting a dinner for our visitors.

Immigration Court Advocacy and Relief from Removal
June 20, 2008

In anticipation of the opening of a new immigration court in Charlotte, immigration attorney Anne Crotty, paralegals Jelena Giric-Held and Laura Young, and volunteer paralegal (and British attorney) Rebecca Grim will attend a conference on "Immigration Court Advocacy and Relief from Removal" led by experts from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) on Friday, June 20 at the Latin American Coalition.

International House does not represent clients facing deportation, but this conference will enable us to better advise clients to help them avoid exploitation by unscrupulous providers in the community and will provide ongoing continuing education for our paralegal staff who will seek accreditation this year from the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Energy Management and Security
June 18 - 20, 2008

International House will be hosting 6 representatives from Turkey to learn about the very pertinent topic of "Energy Management and Security." These visitors have experienced backgrounds in fields such as engineering, natural resources, and energy affairs and include the head of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority, the electrical engineer and operator of the Electricity Market Operator and Settlement Center, the technical chief of Frequency Control, the head of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority, the head and directorate of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and the engineer of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The focus of the program will be on the U.S. experience in managing tight energy markets and will propose measures that can be taken quickly (within 1-3 years) to increase Turkey's marginal electricity supply. The representatives will be in Charlotte through the International Visitor Leadership Program.

We are looking for dinner hosts for the evening of June 19, 2008 for this group. Please contact Lara Printz @ 704-333-8099 if you are interested in hosting a dinner for our visitors.

Iraqi Young Leaders
July 3 - 17, 2008

International House is looking forward to hosting a delegation of 15 Iraqi Young Leaders. The program aims to develop a strong sense of civic responsibility, commitment to community development, awareness of global issues, and to help develop strong interpersonal leadership skills. This international exchange initiative will foster positive relationships with Iraq, promoting mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between the U.S. and Iraq.

Kyrgyzstan "Overcoming Contemporary Challenges in Islam for Professional Women"
July 18 - August 8, 2008

International House will be hosting 10 women from Kyrgyzstan, religious leaders, government officials and NGO leaders. The goal of this program is to expose our visitors to the secular American process of problem-solving especially related to issues confronting Islam in Kyrgyzstan which increasingly transgress the boundaries of faith and influence worshipers' socioeconomic conditions.

On June 13, 2008 from 7:00-9:30 pm International House will be hosting an exciting international chocolate tasting event!

The tasting will feature local and international chocolatiers and distributors including:

• Debbie's Delights
• Godiva
• Johnson & Wales University
• Leah Cuisine
• Salara Desserts
• Southpark Baskets
• Spicy Roses
• The Melting Pot
• Trader Joe's
• Urbana Cityspa and Teabar

Enjoy demonstrations, presentations, and exciting games while tasting and purchasing various chocolates from local and international chocolatiers.

Don't forget about our chocolate raffle and trivia that has exciting prizes up for grabs.

Space is limited so R.S.V.P. now! Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. To register, contact Laura Printz at: 704.333.8099 or lprintz@ihclt.org.

All proceeds support the programs and services of International House.

The Book Club will not meet during the summer (June - August) but will resume its monthly meetings on Monday, September 15th, 2008.

NEW: Park Road Books will give a 15% discount to International House book club members when purchasing books on the book club list!

International Book Club is an open invitation for anyone who is interested in dialogue on good books by international authors and themes. The club meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at International House.

Read more about the International Book Club

The Junior League partnered with International House and other organizations for the 3rd Kids Healthlink - Healthy Kids Mean the World to Us! at Ashley Park Elementary School in west Charlotte.

The event provided free screening and immunizations to children as well as educational materials for parents.

International House is proud to support JLC healthcare outreach efforts by providing volunteer interpreters. We would like to extent a big THANK YOU to the following volunteer interpreters:

• Jose Alarcon
• Maria Alarcon
• Roxana Arango
• Betty Garcia
• Cecilia Mossner
• Maria Summers
• Jimmy Zambrano

International House and inlingua now offer a special membership level for inlingua clients who become International House Members.

Special Member benefits*:

• 5% tuition discount and two free sessions of 1.5 hours each on private and semi-private (2 people) language courses;
• Free initial evaluation upon signing up for Accent Reduction program;
• Employment search resources upon completion of Medical Interpreting Course

Regular Member benefits:

• Free participation in various language conversation hour groups, held at IH;
• Discounted rates to group program, Talk 20, for IH conversation hour participants;
• Discounted rates on IH sponsored music, art, and cultural events and programs;
• Free subscription to the International House bi- monthly e-newsletter;
• Advanced notification of cultural ambassador opportunities for upcoming international professional and cultural exchange groups visiting Charlotte;
• Priority access to specialized educational services for internationals (eligibility criteria may apply)

* Contingent upon continuation of International House-inlingua Language Skills Membership agreement.

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IMPORTANT NEWS!

Ms. Karin Eichler has been appointed as the new director of inlingua Language and Intercultural Services.

Ms. Andressa Costa has joined inlingua as Client Services Coordinator.

Karin is pleased to announce that inlingua has been awarded a GSA (General Service Administration) Federal Supply service Contract (GS-10F-0095U). inlingua successfully met all the GSA requirements for being a government supplier and will offer its services directly to the Federal purchasing agencies.


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International House offers informal conversation time with native speakers in a comfortable setting.


Join us for
GERMAN conversation hours
on Tuesdays from 7-8 pm

If you would like to get involved and learn more about the language conversation hours please contact Lara Printz at 704-333-8099.

All language conversation hours take place at
International House,
322 Hawthorne Lane,
Charlotte, NC 28204.

The conversation hours are open to the public, free of charge.

Just drop by...

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***The language conversation hours are offered in partnership with inlingua. inlingua offers language training and intercultural training in any language, for:

• Business travel
• Personal improvement
• Relocation
• Work relations
• Tourism & Fun

For more information contact Karin Eichler , Program Director at 704.553.8836.

6/02 7 pm Free English Class

6/03 10am Gala Committee Meeting

6/7 6pm KWA Human Association

6/08 4pm Ghana Association Meeting

6/9 7pm Free English Class

6/10 6:30pm Friendship Force Monthly Meeting

6/13 7pm The World of Chocolate

6/15 6pm Sierra Leone Association Meeting

6/16 7pm Free English Class

6/18 9am ENLACE Monthly Meeting

6/23 7pm Free English Class

6/28 6pm Gnostic Institute of Anthropology Meeting

6/30 7pm Free English Class

For more events and the language conversation hours schedule, please visit our calendar of events.

Citizenship Workshop
April 26,2008

Ms. Anne Crotty, immigration attorney, and Ms. Laura Young, paralegal, served as volunteers at a Citizenship Workshop, held on Saturday, April 26. Sponsored by International House, the Latin American Coalition, the Mecklenburg County Bar, and Charlotte School of Law, the workshop provided participants with information about the process of naturalization, advice and assistance in completing citizenship application forms.

Immigration Attorney Anne Crotty Attends Immigration Law Conferences
April 7-9 & May 13-15

Ms. Anne Crotty, immigration attorney, attended two immigration law conferences this spring: "Program Management," April 7-9 in Houston, Texas, specifically designed for managers of low-income immigration law clinics and "Topics in Family Immigration Law," May 13-15 in Chicago, designed for experienced immigration advocates.

A grant from the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation funded Ms. Crotty's attendance at both seminars, which were led by national experts from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC).

Health Professionals from Belarus
May 1 - 22, 2008

International House hosted a Community Connections program delegation of 10 health care professionals from Belarus for the program theme "Mother and Child Health." This delegation was in Charlotte through the Community Connections program administered by World Learning, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The program strived to provide our Belarusians visitors with the vision and expertise needed to assist health, social workers and educators to learn the best practices of essential public health interventions.

"Windows on America"
April 27- May 3 & May 11-18, 2008

The Citizen Diplomacy Program of International House hosted two groups of German high school student ambassadors through the "Windows on America" program. The guests visited Charlotte as part of a program sponsored by the World Learning International Exchange Program and the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. The exchange provided the participants with a quick immersion in U.S. culture and society.

As real ambassadors, they conveyed a part of Germany to their U.S. hosts, and at the same time they absorbed impressions of the United States. The program introduced the students to the principles of democracy, civil society and youth leadership, and the diversity within the U.S. In addition, the program highlighted the importance of community service and student activism as catalysts for leadership and youth empowerment.

Citizenship Classes - Spring Session
May 11, 2008

International House's Spring Citizenship Class session concluded on May 11, 2008. 12 participants completed the course which prepares students for the naturalization process. In addition to learning about U.S government and history, the students also had the opportunity to receive a brief presentation about the U.S citizen process from an immigration attorney.

May Book Club Meeting
May 15, 2008

For the May meeting, the International House Book Club discussed "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang. The book recounts the evocative, unsettling, and insistently gripping story of how three generations of women in the author's family fared in the political maelstrom of China during the 20th century.


Accountability in Business &
Government Group
May 14 - 17, 2008

International House hosted 6 government officials, business leaders, politicians, civic and community leaders, journalists and educators for the program theme "Accountability in Business and Government." These professionals from Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Romania, and Swaziland learned about compliance with financial sector regulations and transparency in local politics and government finances. The delegation came to Charlotte through the International Visitor Leadership Program, a program of International House and the U.S. State Department.

Phoenician Club Spring Party
May 17, 2008

The Metrolina Phoenician Club held its Spring Party at 7pm on May 17, 2008. Lebanese Mezza, dinner, dessert, and Arabic music were all on the menu for this great evening held at St. Sarkis Hall on Park Road.

English Tutoring Program
May 17, 2008

The first year of International House's English Tutoring Program in partnership with the Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County came to a successful end. 34 students and 32 volunteer tutors participated in the program helping it expand from previous years.

The program helped to provide English instruction to students who are unable to access traditional classes by pairing them with volunteer tutors for a 1 ½ hour English tutoring session each week.

Clash of Civilizations
"A Historical Perspective"
May 30, 2008

International House and The Middle East Council of the Carolinas presented an intriguing look into civilization clashing from a historic viewpoint. The lecture was given by Jonathan Berkey, Professor of History at Davidson College.

Brief Biography

Jonathan Berkey (BA Williams; MA, PhD Princeton) is Professor of History at Davidson College, where he teaches the history of Islam and the Middle East from the seventh century to the present day. His research interests focus on medieval religious and cultural history. Professor Berkey has many publications that include "The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800" (Cambridge University Press, 2003), which was awarded the Albert Hourani Book Prize by the Middle East Studies Association of North America.

International House invites you to play a key role in promoting international understanding and making a difference in the world. We invite you to share your home with our international visitors, soon to become new friends!

We are looking forward to hosting delegations from Iraq and Kyrgyzstan during July and August.

The benefits of being a Home Host:

• Experience the joys and rewards of being a cultural ambassador
• Discover a new culture and its customs
• Help to promote Charlotte and U.S. culture
• Be an integral part of and help give back to your community
• Make new friends!

 

We are looking for Home Hosts during the following time frames:

Option One (Iraq student leaders): Thursday, July 3 - Thursday, July 17

Option Two (Kyrgyzstan Professional Women): Saturday June 19 - Saturday, July 26

Option Three (Kyrgyzstan Professional Women): Friday, July 25 - Wednesday, August 6

If you would like to help by becoming a Home Host, please contact Ms.Lara Printz, Senior Program Manager, at (704) 342-2247.

Asian Festival/Dragon Boat Festival
June 7, 2008

Kicking off this culturally diverse event will be an International Parade for Children, featuring children from countries around the world carrying their native flags and dressed in their traditional attire.

There will be a Miss Asian Festival Pageant, delicious food, traditional crafts, live music and dance performances, dragon boat race, Asian cultural displays, and lots more!

There will also be a Children's Activity Center where Asian children can share their culture with other kids through play and fun. Games such as Puzzles That Teach, Chopsticks Fun (how-to game), Sungka-an (Filipino counting game), Calligraphy, and Origami promise to keep the children entertained and happy. The entire focus of this event is to draw the international community closer together through exciting games and fun events.

When: Saturday, June 7, 2008 at 11:00 am
Where: Ramsey Creek Park, 18441 Nantz Road Cornelius, NC 28078
Cost: This event is FREE, however, there will be vendors and food available for purchase.
More Information: Charlotte Dragon Boat

Volunteers from Temple Beth El celebrated "Mitzvah Day" by helping at International House! These wonderful volunteers planted flowers, shrubbery, and painted interior doors. We truly appreciate the fresh look and hard work that went into this great day.

We would like to thank the following volunteers for helping keep International House beautiful:

• David August
• Derek Gainesboro
• Leah Hindel
• Lindsay London
• Simon Menaker
• Steve Menaker
• Nick Montoni
• D'Vorah Nadel
• Emily Sparks
• Laurie Sparks
• Alyson Traw
• Russell Traw

Reform Judaism is committed to social action and community betterment and in keeping with this, Temple Beth El sponsors "Mitzvah Day", which is a time when hundreds of congregates at Temple Beth El go out into the community and perform "mitzvot" (good deeds).

International House is looking for an interpreter for our Language Interpretation Program.

The following languages are needed:

• Arabic
• Cambodian
• Greek
• Chinese
• Gerei
• Korean
• Somali
• Vietnamese
• Russian
• Portuguese

For more details, please contact Jelena Giric- Held at 704-333-8099.

International House appreciates ALL contributions to our organization. Your in-kind donations to International House are tax-deductible.

We are currently looking for:

• Pro-bono IT support and network maintenance
• Upholstery for the parlor sofa and armchairs

Thank you for your donation!

SAVE THE DATE!

WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2008 from 6:30PM - 12:00AM.

WHERE: Hilton Charlotte Center City

Honorary Chairs - Donald and Jan Haack

Enjoy an evening of...International Cuisine, Dancing and Entertainment and Live and Silent Auction!

¤CORPORATE SPONSORS¤

Piedmont Natural Gas

AT&T¤Langford de Kock LLP¤
Coats North America¤ Midrex Technologies, Inc

Supported and Underwritten by the Canadian Consulate

The 2008 Gala benefit fundraiser, is an all-volunteer event produced by the Gala Committee and International House. All proceeds from the Gala support the programs and services of International House.

Sponsorship opportunities are still AVAILABLE! For more information click here. To learn more about corporate opportunities and to reserve your ticket today please contact Beverly Grant, Director of Development at 704-333-8099.