Any current Brandeis international student that would like to be invited to a Thanksgiving meal and celebration is welcome to request a Thanksgiving Host. Signing up does not guarantee that you will be connected with a local host/host family to celebrate Thanksgiving. Arrangements are made a on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Students and hosts are matched on a rolling first-come first-serve basis. Matches are also based on the information provided on the student and host sign up forms.
After submitting the online sign up form, the ISSO will notify students within two weeks if they have been matched with a host so that they can begin making Thanksgiving arrangements. Please know that submitting the sign up form does not guarantee a Thanksgiving Host. Matches are made depending on the number of participants who sign up each year.
The commitment is for the Thanksgiving event only. Hosts are not expected to continue hosting their student guest throughout the remainder of the year. However, it is our hope that both you and your Thanksgiving host enjoy your time together so much that you will continue to stay in communication with each other.
By signing up for the program, the ISSO asks you to be sure to attend the Thanksgiving holiday event that your host has so graciously invited you to. It is expected that student guests contact their host via email or telephone to make plans and arrangements for the Thanksgiving event. Thanksgiving holiday events occur at various times depending on the host’s plans. Hosts are not expected to provide overnight housing to their student guest.
Please note: the ISSO is not available to provide transportation for student guests. The ISSO is also not responsible for assisting with making plans and arrangements between student guests and hosts.
Please ask your host if they would like you to bring anything to the Thanksgiving celebration, such as contributing a side dish, dessert, or drink for the meal. You may also choose to bring a small gift as a token of your appreciation for your host's hospitality.
At no point are hosts expected to provide overnight housing for student guests.
Yes. While not required, many hosts offer to provide transportation for their student guest(s) to and from the Thanksgiving event. For student guests who do not have their own transportation to the event, the ISSO will do its best to match them with hosts who can provide transportation or whose events are accessible by public transportation.
The Thanksgiving holiday is on the fourth Thursday of November, but the date and time of the host's holiday celebration can be flexible. The event does not have to be on the day of the holiday. For example, a holiday host may invite students to join their family Thanksgiving dinner on the Wednesday before, or on the weekend.
Although the ISSO is capable of doing many wonderful things, it cannot predict how many participants will sign up for the program each year. Some years, there is an abundance of students resulting in a handful who are not matched with a host, and vice versa. In this case, the ISSO will notify students accordingly and encourage participation for the following year.