Del Christensen

Executive Director of IRIS

Communication

Students have strict instruction from me to ask questions when they don’t know something and when they are not sure about something

Treat the student like your own child

Patience

Hygiene

Punctuality/time management

Appliances

Chores

Budgeting

Internet & phone usage

Interaction with host family and classmates

Conserving energy

Eye contact

Giving things with left hands

Picking nose

Politically correct

words and statements

“the finger”

American English vs. British English Pants vs. trousers

Most Africans do not like dogs

Dogs in Africa are not friendly

Dogs are use for security, they are rarely seen as pets

Please explain to your student that your dog is friendly and encourage them to pet them

They will be scared at first but they adjust easily

Most of them will say a few weeks into the winter that they “love the snow but hate the cold”

If you don’t have a winter coat for your student(s), we have a few donated ones in the office that we could send you

Reminders about hats and mittens/winter safety

Pray 5 times a day

Do ablution before each prayers –use bathtub

Mosque on Fridays; however, most of them understand that they won’t be able to go to mosque every Fridays

Do not eat pork

Most of the girls will wear a headscarf (Hijab)

Starts on August 21st

Ends on September 20th

Students will be fasting from sunrise to sunset

Please make a plate for them the night before

Give them an alarm

End of Ramadan there is a feast called EidFitr

If you can, take your student to the nearest mosque that day

Have to take at least a semester of American Government or History

Take a year of English

We also encourage them to take a “fun” class

Encourage the students be involved with sports, plays, clubs, and art classes

Martha Pope

IRIS Operations Manager

Hair You can find most hair

product at your local Sally’s Beauty Supply or at Target in the ethnic hair section

In case they want to braid their hair: It cost a lot of money to have

extensions done

You can find a hair salon in big cities (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Omaha)

Some of the YES students can braid hair.

African skin gets extremely dry especially during the winter.

Any lotion, especially for dry skin, will help the student.

It is important that they use a lot of lotion

There are two types of rules:

Probationary Rules

Dismissive Rules

A few examples of Probationary Rules:

Less than 2 hours of community service per month

Failure to be involved in family and school activities

Failure to use your stipend money while in the program

Less than a C grade in any class

1) 6 weeks probation

2) Inform student’s parents

3) Early return home

As a general rule, all YES students must obey the laws of the United States of America and the State of Iowa. If found guilty of violating any law, they will be returned home as soon as possible.

NO Driving

NO Drinking

NO Stealing

SENT HOME IMMEDIATELY

Steal

Drink

Drive

Students are not allow to work for pay. Everything should be volunteer work.

At least two hours of community service every month.

They could volunteer at the church, school, nursing home, make presentations, etc…

An IRIS staff will call you and your student(s) at least twice a month

Please use this opportunity to share any concerns/issues you may have with the student(s)

If any issue arises, we will be more than happy to help and even come to your home if you need us to do so.

An IRIS staff will call the school at least once a month

Mike and Faye

Adamu Ibrahim

Dr. Saidu Yakubu

West Africa Country Coordinator