The amount of time spent together, and the level of commitment to the relationship, is entirely up to the participants. Lombardo said she and husband, Tony, have enjoyed being international friends so much, they're sponsoring another FSU couple from Colombia this year. The Lombardos also held a September potluck reception at their Havana home to welcome the foreign students and their new Tallahassee friends to town. A lot of times, they're lonely. They just want to talk.
Language can be a problem, though.
Some of the students still struggle with English. Others have accents that may make understanding them difficult. You must be willing to make the effort to listen. And because they're so far from home, many international students may also need your attention during the holidays. Lombardo, for instance, had the Segovias over for Christmas lunch last year.