Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Birmingham is Alabama's largest city. With a metropolitan population of nearly a million people, the city is a world-renowned medical and financial center. Though Birmingham stands in the heart of the Deep South, it is not an Old South city. Founded in 1871 at the crossing of two railroad lines, the city developed through the early 1900s as it rapidly became the South's foremost industrial center. Today, Birmingham has a balance of manufacturing and service-oriented jobs, particularly in healthcare. In December, the weather in the daytime is typically in the 50s(F) and goes to lows in the 30s(F) at night, but can vary.  For more info, visit www.bcvb.org. 

Our CIH program plans 10 students in host families.  Many days will include activities in Birmingham and surrounding cities.  We hope to visit such attractions as the McWane (educational science) Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) campus, Civil Rights Institute, a local hiking trail, the Air & Space Center in Huntsville, and the capital in Montgomery.  Many evenings will be having dinner and relaxing with other church families and small groups, including the college and young adult church groups.  Some days during the holidays will be spent with host families with the option of participating in all the special Christmas events.  Our goal is cover as many expenses as possible including entry fees to the above facilities as well as all meals.  Students may purchase souvenirs, snacks, etc at their own expense.  On New Year’s Eve, we will have an International Night when students have the opportunity to share about their own country and culture.

South Highland Presbyterian Church is known for its warm and welcoming hospitality!  We look forward to proving this to all our CIH 2008 students.

“Now I have returned to China ... However, I can never forget the good old days with you last year. With your help I learned many knowledges and got many experiences which I will enjoy for the whole life.”   - Former CIH student

Program Size	10 students
Program Type	Home Stay
Accommodations	Single and Married Couple
Dress	Warm clothes
Suggested cash for optional personal expenses	Personal expenses
Program Dates	December 20, 2008 to January 2, 2009
Airport	Birmingham International Airport
Train Depot	AMTRAK Birmingham
Bus Depot	Greyhound Birmingham
Driving Directions	On request
Weather Forecast	Can be cold or moderate
Local Attractions	McWane (educational science) Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) campus, Civil Rights Institute, a local hiking trail, the Air & Space Center in Huntsville, and the capital in Montgomery.