WHO WE ARE:
Second Home: International Student Assistance Services (SHISAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing international students residing in the US with free support services. As many of us in SHISAS are or once were international students ourselves, we understand how difficult life can be living in a foreign country. Something as basic as communicating with a landlord or even choosing a cell phone plan may be an overwhelming task. Our goal is to relieve some of those concerns for fellow members of our international student community.
At SHISAS, our volunteers:
act as an intermediary service, connecting students to the appropriate legal services, therapy, academic counseling, tutoring, etc. when requested by the student.
become a personal translator for students facing issues such as understanding a class schedule, finding housing, paying utilities, signing up for insurance, etc. (We currently have English, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog, but our goal is to continually expand the list of available languages. Do you speak another language not listed here? If so, please sign up to volunteer!)
assist students who have suffered from racism, domestic violence, sexual assault, etc. by contacting the appropriate support groups and/or authorities at the request of the student. (Note: Any and all communication between an international student and SHISAS is confidential.)
Why SHISAS?
As our name “Second Home'' suggests, our goal is to help international students acclimate to life in the US so that they can successfully call it a “second home.” The word “shisas” also refers to the magical creatures from Okinawan mythology of the same name. They are a cross between a dog and a lion, believed to protect homes and fend off evil spirits. SHISAS hopes to similarly act as a guardian for any and all international students in need.