British Rugby Fest - October 1, 2011
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As a build-up to our 23rd annual gala featuring Great Britain, International House and the British American School of Charlotte are hosting a "British Rugby Fest" on October 1, 2011. This free social event will showcase Britain's culture, promote local Charlotte rugby teams (children & seniors) and raise awareness of International House's programs and services.
We have partnered with the NC Youth Rugby Association, the NC High School Rugby Association, the Charlotte Junior Rugby Association, and The Charlotte Rugby Club to bring you the best rugby available in our area -- all during the Rugby World Cup! Read More about the event
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Join us for "A Rock 'n Royal Celebration"
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The Board of Directors of International House and the 2011 Gala Committee invite you to enjoy an evening of British cuisine, dancing, entertainment, and live and silent auctions at our 23rd Annual Benefit Gala.
- Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011
- Time: Six-Thirty in the Evening
- Location: The Westin Charlotte
Purchase Tickets
Contact Rusty Reynolds for more information regarding sponsorships or to secure your spot: rreynolds@ihclt.org
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English Tutor Training - Sept 8th & 9th
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International House is seeking volunteer tutors for our English Tutoring Program (ETP). The program helps immigrants and refugees with limited English proficiency prepare for the US Citizenship Exam.
A volunteer tutor is matched with an adult student, and both commit to meeting at a mutually convenient time and place for an hour and a half a week to work on English fluency and review American history, civics and national symbols.
Read More
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ESL Classes - Changing Lives! |
Our new and redesigned English as a Second Language (ESL) program is now taking place daily at International House, and many local immigrants are taking advantage of this opportunity. The classes are offered at two levels and take place twice every weekday at 11:30 am and 1 pm. There are also two weekly evening classes at 6:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
 Hayat Chami immigrated from Morocco just three months ago with a dream of becoming a nurse in the US armed forces. She is fluent in Arabic and French but needs to learn English to be able to realize her dreams. She loves living in Charlotte, is a regular participant in our ESL classes, and recently joined the English Language Conversation Hour to practice her conversational English. Dedicated to her goals, she left behind her parents and two brothers in Morocco and walks over an hour to the bus stop every morning to get to International House. When asked why she came to the US, she says "Here, everyone has a chance for a better life"
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Above: ESL participants in the beginners class. Son Em (front left in the picture), came from Cambodia 4 years ago and has never had any English lessons. |
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Meet Our International Visitors |
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 Join us on September 19th from 6:30 pm to 8 pm for our next "Who's in the House" event that will take place right here at International House!
Meet and socialize with our visitors from the Ukraine, Africa & South America. Enjoy music, snacks and interesting dialogue while learning more about different parts of the world. Mark your calendars now!
Contact Lara Printz for more info: lprintz@ihclt.org
Home Hosts Needed! If you are interested in hosting an international visitor from either Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, or Bangladesh between September 29 and October 17, 2011, please contact International House at 704-333-8099 or email lprintz@ihclt.org
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Free Creative Writing Class |
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 Dr. Glenn Hutchinson from Johnson C. Smith University is teaching a free writing class that will start on September 15th and take place every Thursday for 5 consecutive weeks from 12 pm to 1 pm.
This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn the art of creative writing in a friendly informal class setting. Sessions take place at JC Smith Campus on September 15, 22, 29 & October 6 and 13. Mark your calendars now! Read More.
Contact Dr. Glenn Hutchinson at 704-544-2272
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For Japan with Love - By Satoshi Watanabe, IH Board Member
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 The “for Japan with Love” campaign (or Origami Crane Campaign) was launched in April to fold several thousands of origami cranes (Senbadsuru) to show our support to the victims of the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
This nationwide campaign involving Wells Fargo employees across the country as well as various local communities was a tremendous success – while we thought 10,000 cranes would be a stretch goal, we ended up with 30,000 cranes, tripling the original goal. Read more
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Charlotte’s Annual Gathering for International Day of Peace
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At the Sam Learner Center for Cultural Arts, Shalom Park, 5007 Providence Road, Charlotte -- Enter through Levine JCC Main Entrance:
- Local choirs and music
- Various faith traditions
- Traditional foods and sweets
- Prayers for our military men & women
More Information >>
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From the executive director
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I once spent a year in a Mexican village working as an International Partner with Habitat for Humanity. My family and I lived in a small cinderblock house in the rural pueblo of Xihuateutla. No phone. No internet. No mail service. Sporadic electricity. We went to the top of a nearby hill to collect spring water which then had to be boiled. If we needed supplies, medical care, or wanted to send mail to family back home, we drove two hours to the nearest city of Poza Rica. It was an amazing, disorienting, wonderful, and bewildering experience.
One of the things I remember was the strong desire for someone to help us figure out how daily life worked in this strange new land. We were fortunate in partnering with a local veterinarian, Cesar Martinez, who became our guide to all things Mexico. Cesar told us how to buy freshly killed chickens from local women in the village. He taught us about the best way to wash clothes in a stone sink and which local herbs in the market were good for stomach ailments. We learned about the protocol for accepting offers of food and drink from poor but generous families, how to buy groceries, pay bills, avoid malaria, and make sense of the confusing schedules in the bus terminals. It was as if a weight had been lifted from our shoulders. Having a sympathetic teacher give us an orientation to a strange culture in a new country made us feel more comfortable, welcome, and safe. Read More
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Charlotte University |
Charlotte University: Live, Learn, Grow is a training program designed to educate immigrant communities about local resources vital to successfully integrating into Charlotte life. Many local immigrants are unaware of the services available to them in the Charlotte area. Barriers to accessing these resources include language, lack of trust, fear, cultural differences and logistical issues. This initiative is designed to teach immigrant groups that these resources exist, how to use them, and that it’s OK to use them.
Read More
Contact Hendrik van Vuuren for more information or to attend one of our free luncheons: hvanvuuren@ihclt.org
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International Book Club |
The International House Book Club will meet again on Monday, September 19th at 7 p.m.
The book to be discussed will be The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell, which is set in Japan at the turn of 19th century, with a Dutch protagonist.
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Doorways |
Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 10 a.m. at International House.
Members will have an opportunity to meet and greet the International House Staff and learn more about what they do in their various program areas. This is a perfect program for all newcomers to Doorways. Lunch afterwards will be at Zeitouni Mediterranean Grill
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Get Involved . . . |
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For more information about our people, programs, or organization please email info@ihclt.org or call 704-333-8099.
www.ihclt.org
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2011 Gala Sponsors
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Bank of America |
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Wells Fargo |
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Alvaro & Donna de Molina |
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Continental Tire |
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Piedmont Natural Gas |
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Blum, Inc. |
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Coats North America |
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Duke Energy |
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KPMG |
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Microsoft |
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Protiviti |
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Aziz Immigration Law Firm |
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British American School
of Charlotte |
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Food Lion |
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Garfinkel Immigration
Law Firm |
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Kuck Immigration Partners LLC |
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King & Spalding LLP |
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Procure 4, Inc. |
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RBC Bank |
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SouthEnd Dentistry |
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Southern Shows |
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Firm Resolve, LLC. |
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Chun Group, Inc. |
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Greer & Walker LLP |
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K&L Gates LLP |
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Management inSites, Inc. |
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Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, PA |
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SunTrust Bank |
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The Language Academy of
the Carolinas |
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Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC |
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The World in Our Backyard |
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