The best thing about Thanksgiving is sharing a great meal with your family and loved ones.

This month, UWindsor students will be rushing home in anticipation of a home-cooked meal, cozy bed, and family pampering. Unfortunately, this will not be the case for international students.

The University of Windsor is home to over 2,000 international students from more than 80 countries, and most of them will not have family to celebrate with this holiday. That is why the International Student Centre has created Host for the Holidays.

The program matches international students with Windsor families who are excited to open their home and share their traditions. This year, hosts will have an option of selecting their event to take place on October 11, 12 or 13. The due date for host applications is October so that final results and confirmations can be completed by October 8.

Sharing your Thanksgiving meal with someone from a different culture is an eye-opening experience—and an exciting one. These students have little idea of what Thanksgiving is all about. This is a great opportunity to teach them about Canadian culture and also to learn about their respective cultures.

For more information and to apply to become a host family, visit: http://www.uwindsor.ca/isc/host.

—Pompilia Ignat