West Virginia Programs

Come to wild and wonderful West Virginia—a stand-out destination in the Eastern U.S.

Specifically, come to a very special corner of the upper Shenandoah Valley, the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, which is a unique tri-county area snuggled against the borders of Virginia and Maryland. This region also is only 90 miles (less than two hours by car!) away from the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore metropolitan areas.

Families or friends hosting students will provide transportation on December 18 from flights that participants take into Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), or Reagan National Airport (DCA). We much prefer Dulles Airport because it is the most easily reached by car from our region.

Your host group, 15 Presbyterian (USA) churches in the West Virginia Eastern Panhandle, will provide families for home-stays and group activities that will include a day trip by train to Washington, D.C. Our area, in the scenic hills and valleys adjacent to the Allegheny Mountains, is rich in history, resort settings, and West Virginia’s most vibrant, expanding economy. Hospitality is a specialty.

The program, from December 18, 2010, to January 2, 2011, will feature an easy, laid-back atmosphere plus the Washington visit, regional sight-seeing in the hills of West Virginia, and a manufacturing tour including Quad Graphics where the National Geographic magazine is printed. All students will attend a “meet and greet” dinner with all students and host families at one of the host churches. We plan a New Year’s Eve Party with an international dinner (prepared by students and hosts – bring your recipes!).

A variety of activities is available in the area. Students can sample the flavor of this region through visits to historic Harper’s Ferry, where John Brown tried to seize a Federal arsenal, prime Civil War sites such as important battlefields, Baltimore’s National Aquarium, holiday cultural events, and places like historic Winchester, VA, the oldest English settlement west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We plan to tour a nearby national battlefield, Antietam, which witnessed the greatest loss of human life in one battle during the American Civil War.

This is a fine area to see charming small towns. Shepherdstown, where we always have host families, is a delightful university town. Berkeley Springs, an historic spa town in the area, recently was named one of the “12 top arts destinations” in the United States, according to a reader poll published in the American Style magazine. Martinsburg and Charles Town are county seats and have their own points of interest, as well.

Since the hosting group is made up of church members, the possibility will exist of attending Christmas Eve and Sunday worship services at families’ churches. However, if students are from other religious backgrounds or prefer not to attend worship services, that will be understood. Hosts desire to grow in understanding of and respect for the international students who come their way—and they look forward to enjoying the visitors’ company.

Program Size	Five to ten students, depending upon host family availability
Program Type	Home stay
Accommodations	Singles—males and females, possibly one married couple
Dress	Warm coat, sweaters, gloves, hats, scarves, boots, blue jeans mostly- perhaps one nice casual outfit possibly for family-related outings
Suggested cash for optional personal expenses	Personal funds for souvenirs, optional trips/entrance fees; at least $100
Program Dates	December 18, 2010 to January 2, 2011
Airport	Washington, D.C., airports (Reagan National and Dulles), Baltimore-Washington International (Baltimore, MD) Preferred, if feasible: Dulles International
Train Depot	Martinsburg, WV (there are rush hour trains from Washington, D.C.)
Bus Depot	Hagerstown, MD (We’ve never yet had occasion to use it but could do so on request)
Driving Directions	Available on request
Weather Forecast	30-40 degrees F; may snow, ice
Local Attractions	Shenandoah Valley and Potomac Valleys, Antietam and Gettysburg Civil War Battlefields and the Harpers Ferry National Park, charming small-town America, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD