Orange Park is located in Northeast Florida approximately 30 miles west of Jacksonville.  We have the best of 2 worlds; close to a large city “Jacksonville” on the coast of Florida and the countryside with its small town, home style atmosphere.

Christmas International House (CIH) students coming to Orange Park will be staying in private family homes from the St. Giles Presbyterian Church and become a part of their family as they prepare for the Christmas holidays.

We hope to make your visit to Florida a happy, memorable and relaxing one.  In addition, you may want to visit Fernandina or Jacksonville Beach, Old St. Augustine, local sites within Clay County to see our countryside and of course shopping at the local mall. 

We are planning an International Dinner at St. Giles Presbyterian Church; each CIH student is asked to prepare a dish from your country, so bring your favorite recipe.  You are encouraged to bring something from your country to share; a native costume, picture book, instrument and any special ingredient for those recipes (if you don't think we can find them locally). 

You will be responsible for your own spending money when sightseeing with your family and other CIH students. We will plan a 2 day trip to Orlando to visit Disney World & Sea World.  We need a minimum of 6 students interested.  The approximate cost will be $250 - $300 per person and will include; transportation to Orland/Disney World & Sea World, 2 days of admission tickets and 1 night at a hotel (shared with other CIH students).  Decision must be made in advance and paid upon arrival in order to purchase tickets and confirm reservations.

 

Program Size	12  students
Program Type	Home Stay
Accommodations	Singles –  male and female
Dress	Bring clothes for both cool and warm temperatures, everything from a bathing suit and shorts to a jacket.
Suggested cash for optional personal expenses	You will need money for souvenirs, shopping if interested, meals/ or snacks when sightseeing, movies, etc.
Program Dates	December 19, 2009 to January 2, 2010, if your schedule is different please tell us when you apply so we can accommodate you.
Airport	Jacksonville
Train Depot	Amtrak - Jacksonville
Bus Depot	Greyhound Bus Lines - Jacksonville
Driving Directions	On request
Weather Forecast	Varies from lows in the low 40’s, to highs in the low 80’s F
Local Attractions	Jacksonville Beach, Fernandina Beach & St Augustine historic area, International Dinner with all CIH students, International market, volunteer project. A trip to Orlando will be planned for those interested (one day at Disney and one day at Sea World) for the cost of $250-$300, to cover transportation, hotel, breakfast and 2 days tickets.  You will need to pay for your own meals and spending money.