Crossroads Conversation School teachers and child care providers volunteer Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 9:15-11:15am, Sept-June, at the Church of the Good Samaritan, 35th and Harrison. The School offers several levels of conversational English for international women and helps them make friends and feel more at home in our community and culture. The cost per student for each term is $ 45.
Contact Sandy Riverman for more information at 541-740-8801 or send her an email.
Students interested in enrolling may download and fill out the Enrollment Brochure (Acrobat Reader)
Volunteers interested in helping with the school should fill out a New Volunteer Form (Word Format)
Read about the Conversation School in the OSU newspaper, the Barometer.
The fresh great news is that Crossroads will now be in partnership with the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center to help international students practice their English speaking skills.
Conversation Partners is an informal English conversation program, where international (students, community, visiting scholars) meet with native English speakers weekly at the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center (CMLC), 128 SW 9th Street in Corvallis. This is a great way to get to know someone from another culture in a relaxed setting. No child care provided.
We offer small group conversation during the 90 minute sessions. Non-native speakers are assessed a one-time fee of $5.00 per year to participate. Students or faculty, as well as family members are welcome, and are asked to register at the CMLC in their first session. Fall sessions begin the first week of October. Winter and Spring sessions begin the first week of the term. The classes will meet on Fridays at 10:30 am at the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, and will continue on Fridays throughout the term.
If you would like to know more information about this program or would like to join, please email Cheryl Black at blackcherry1111@gmail.com or crossroadstalk@gmail.com.
Participants should fill out the registration form in class and submit it to the teacher.
Volunteers are needed! Community members who wish to volunteer as a conversant may send a message to blackcherry1111@gmail.com, and will receive information on upcoming trainings and meetings.
Three-Day Home Stay hosts assist students coming to the U.S. for the first time at the beginning of fall, winter, and spring terms (September, December, March) to ease adjustment to a new culture. Students stay with an American host or family in the community, and learn about American home life and the Corvallis - Benton County community. Hosts need not have a large home - though a private sleeping room and access to a bathroom (shared is fine), is considered a minimum standard. This is often a wonderful and memorable experience for OSU students and host families - and we receive many repeat host volunteers each year.
New international students wishing to have a Home Stay: please download a request form (PDF) and email it to the Crossroads International office. A confirmation will be sent to you, though please note that it may take several weeks to match you with a host family.
Hosts Needed! If you are already a member and wish to see the list of student requests, please send a message to Home Stay Coordinator, Barb Kralj.
Community members who wish to host a student should first join Crossroads International, and then you may attend an optional orientation, and host a student upon their arrival in the community.
