What is TFN?
TFN is an organization of local Christian families connected with local churches that spend time with international students from Washburn University to share American customs, culture and hospitality.
What do I do with my student?
Simply put, you do normal family activities and include your student in them. Some ideas include:
- dinner at your home
- trips to the park/zoo/local farmer's market
- sporting events at Washburn/Topeka
- many students enjoy cooking meals and learning how to make American food
- outside activities (kayaking, hiking, etc.)
- invite them to Holiday gatherings with your family
Commitment
- To build a quality relationship with your student, we ask that you see your student at least 2 times per month.
- The length of time you spend together varies based on your activities and schedule.
- Some times together are brief like getting ice cream and others are longer making a meal.
- The benefit of TFN is that you schedule the time you meet with your student around what works best in your schedule. This allows you to have fun and joyful experiences with your student.
Support
- Each family has its own church coordinator to assist you with questions or needs throughout the semester.
- The TFN planning committee meets to match students and families based on compatibility at the beginning of each semester. The planning committee also meets monthly to help organize and plan events throughout the school year for families and students to do together.
Resources
- We will hold a training for new friendship families each semester. Please contact your Church Coordinator for more information.
Have more questions about becoming a friendship family?