Activities for students at EF Brisbane!

If you only host one student or host intermittently, it can be hard to keep up with what is happening at the school. At the host gathering last week, it was suggested that if you have a facebook account, that you "like" or become friends with EF Brisbane and the schools fun activities, information talks as well as holidays and happenings will come straight into your news feed!

If you call the front desk at EF, they will be happy to email or post you an activity sheet for the next couple of months so you can encourage your students to go along to things that interest them such as visiting koala's, having fun at Dreamworld or even finding out about working in Australia!

There is so much happening at the school that most student would enjoy and like to get involved in - and if I understand correctly, there is no problem for host families to sign up and go along too - if you want to go with your student or go along as an unpaid staff member for the day.

Have fun with your student and join in some great fun activities!

Happy Birthday EF!

Last Wednesday was EF Brisbane's 8th Birthday!!!

There were about 10 families there for the host family gathering...

And we all got special cup cakes to celebrate!

It was a great afternoon, Good company, great conversation and wonderful hospitality from the EF staff!

We also had BBQ sausages and a chance to chat with the staff at EF and learn a lot more about the school, the students and what happens when the students are at school!

If you haven't been to a host family gathering, make the effort to come to the next one. They are fun, informative, entertaining and very casual!

And the food is always very very good!

Host family gathering now at the School!

I was talking to Aline today and she mentioned the the gathering was going to be at the school nest Wednesday at 2pm - 4pm to make it easier for them, to give those of us who haven't seen the school a chance to have a tour and its was also a back up plan for the rain that's been predicted - again!

It will be good to see you there!

Woolies has 10kg of rice for $10 this week!

Just saw a big pile of white rice in 10kg bags at Woolworths this afternoon for only $10. It was between the fruit section and the meat section - but ask at the information counter if you cant see it. Its probably only going to last a day or so but may be worth it if you go through a lot of rice in your household!

Easy, healthy cross cultural dinner to try!

One of the cross cultural meals that I like to do is rice rolls.

I cut up lots of veges : capsicum, lettuce, mint, beans, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers - salady type stuff, add some cheese strips (not Asian at all but good for the kids and Europeans) If you have Asian students, they will love the traditional rice or glass noodles in this as well. (You soak them in boiling water, drain, chop with scissors and pop into a bowl) I also mush some tuna or egg into mayonnaise, grab a big handful of peeled prawn or some shredded chicken, add a few pineapple chunks and a diced chilli or two and you're done.

I put all this in separate bowls on the table and let every one build as many as they like how ever they like.

Note the jug of cordial on the table - they like red the best!

You can get the rice paper for under $2 for 20 sheets in the Asian section at Woolworths (near the coconut milk and noodles in the Asian section) When you are ready to eat, you dip one of the sheets into a bowl of hot water and place the paper on a dinner plate. Its sticky so you have to lay it where you want it the first time! You can add the sauce to the inside or after you have rolled it - use the sauce as a dipping sauce. Kids will go the tomato, mayo and sweet chili is great and there are a few Asian dipping sauces you can use as well that you will find in the same place as the rice rolls at Woolworths.

There are instructions on the packet on how to fill them (not to much or your end up with "road kill rice rolls" as they disintegrate as you try to eat them) and how to wrap them. Its not hard to do and is still edible regardless of how well or how badly you make it.

Hmmm... Now that's not the most appetising thing you've ever seen in your life, I grant you but, they taste good, are quick, fun, healthy and each person can make them as Asian-y or as Australian as they like. Ham, cheese pineapple and mayo is a good combination!

Now that you have read this far,I am wondering if any of the host families that are out there reading this could email me a few pictures and meal suggestions to put up on this blog?

I'm also looking for pictures of what you eat, the students rooms, and anything student related so that we can all see the different ways to successfully host our students. Pictures are often much better than words!

If you have anything that I could share with others on this blog - can you email them to me at efbrisbanehostnetwork (at) gmail (dot) com - Thank you!

Happy Hosting! - Kara

Host family Gathering - June 2013

I got this email from Aline today inviting us to a get together! Hope you can make it!

Hi Everyone! 
For those of you who I didn’t get a chance to chat with yet, allow me to introduce myself. 
My name is Aline Ferre and I am the new Accommodation Coordinator for EF Language School Brisbane. 

I am very much looking forward to meeting you all! I heard that the get together at Christmas was great success, so I would like to organize something similar. It will be a great opportunity for me to get to know you all and of course for you to meet myself and the rest of the team, as well as meet other host families, share stories and enjoy some nice food! 

It’s also a way for us to thank you for your ongoing support and the fantastic work you all do, that is, welcoming students into your homes and helping them adjust to the Australian way of life! 

Event: EF Host Families Get Together 

What: Sausage Sizzle and Drinks 

Where: South Bank 

When: Wednesday 12th June 2013 2pm to 4pm 

Formal invitations will be sent by post sometime in May. 

All the best and hopefully see you soon, 

Aline 

Accommodation Coordinator 

Hi there!

I'm pleased to see that you got here!

Please put your comments into the bottom of each page (index on the right) to help build a data base of information to help out other families. If you think we need another page for other information email me or comment and I will build it!

Please feel free to contact me on efbrisbanehostnetwork (at) gmail (dot) com as well if you need to. I may not respond immediately though as I work, host and play as well as monitor this website!

Enjoy, comment, share!

- Kara

Testing!

Here is a post just to see what we get!

I am hoping that this area will have updates on activities for Host families (our monthly network gatherings) as well as any other info relevant to hosting that may change in this space.

The tabs on the side have the information that doesn't really change and also has a space for host families to comment and discuss those topics.