I-RMH Participant Information

Understanding America
During I-RMH you will stay with American families. The
topics below are meant to help you during your time with
them. During this time you will meet Christians who attend
a variety of churches (Protestant, Catholic, Baptist,
Methodist, etc.). These Christian brothers and sisters may
live their Christian lives differently than you do. Some of
those differences may be cultural, some may be based on
personality differences, and some may be due to varying
levels of spiritual maturity. We hope you will join us in our
goal that, no matter what our differences, we will work to
be “all one in Christ Jesus”, as stated in Galatians 3:28, and
seek to treat each other with love and unity.
When you meet someone When you first meet someone, you can say, “It’s nice to meet
you.” If someone asks, “How are you?” the typical response is either “Fine” or “Okay.” You can then
ask, “How are you?” Sometimes younger people will say “Hey” or “How’s it going?” instead of
saying “Hello.”

Shaking Hands Most American men will shake hands when

they meet someone; women don’t always shake hands. When you meet
a woman, wait until she puts out her hand to see if she wants to shake
hands.

Hugging Some Americans will hug you instead of shaking hands!

This is meant to be friendly, not disrespectful. If you don’t want to hug someone, put out your hand if
someone looks like they are going to hug you…most of the time they will understand that you don’t
want to hug.
Names Because America is an informal society, most people in
America will ask you to call them by their first name. Even well-
respected people such as pastors or bosses are often called by their
first name (example: “Pastor Bob” or just “Bob”) and even children
often call adults by their first name. There are exceptions to this,
however – obviously, in the military people are addressed by their
ranks, and elderly people are often called “Mr.” or “Mrs.” When in
doubt, use a formal title first (“Hello, Captain Smith.”) – that person
will let you know if they want to be called something else (“Please,
call me Jim.”).
Food If you have special diet needs (such as food allergies or diabetes), let you host family know.
If American food gives you a stomach ache, it is okay to ask your host for stomach medicine.

U.S. Table Etiquette If you are eating in your host’s

home instead of eating at a restaurant, your host will tell you where to
sit, or you can ask where to sit. Wait for others to start eating. Put
your napkin/serviette in your lap after sitting down. Pass food to the
right. When food is passed to you, it is polite to say, “Thank you.”
When you want some food that is not right in front of you, don’t
reach for it – say, “Please pass the [food name].” After each meal,
always say an immediate thank you to the person(s) who cooked it, and ask if you can help clean up.

Schedules Many host families will try to have their schedules free while they host you, but they
will still have work or other events they may need to be involved in.

Bathrooms Most Americans take showers every day, and because of

busy family schedules it is best to ask your host when to take your own
shower/bath – in the morning or evening. When taking a shower, put the
shower curtain inside the tub. You might ask your host before you get in the
shower how to operate it – each shower is different, so don’t feel strange if
you don’t know how to work it.

Sensitive/Political Discussions If you disagree with the U.S. on matters such as war,
terrorism, etc. remember that many Americans don’t like to talk about those things in public. In
particular, the families of people who are serving, or have served, in war zones such as Afghanistan
could find it disrespectful or impolite if someone criticized U.S. policy in front of them.

At the same time, Americans value honesty, and some Americans are quick to tell you their opinions!
If someone asks for your opinion, feel free to give it in a polite way. If you don’t want to talk about
any issue, you can say, “I’m sorry, I’d rather not talk about it.”

Gifts You are not expected to give gifts to your host family (you
might be staying with two or three different host families while in
US); however, you can give small gifts if you wish. You may also
leave a thank you card or note for the family in the room in which you
slept, or you can mail or email them a thank you note later.
 U.S. Life & Culture
Each nation’s culture has developed in unique ways. American has many good things about our
culture, and many bad things. Each person will see America in different ways. For example, some
people will like the fast pace of life, while others will find it stressful. Some will think our culture is
friendly and informal, while others will find it superficial and shallow. When we are introduced to
different cultures it helps to keep an open mind and realize there may be reasons for behaviors which
we don’t yet understand.

American Ethnic Heritage

Americans are approximately 75% White/European descent, 12%
Hispanic/Latino, 12% Black/African-American, 3% Asian, and 0.9% Native
American Indian. The U.S. Hispanic population in growing very fast. For
example, the population of Denver, Colorado is nearly 1/3 Hispanic.

Religion
Americans are approximately 85% Christian, 2% Jewish, 1 ½ % Muslim, and
less than 1% Buddhist. Approximately 20% of Americans attend church
regularly. Although most Americans call themselves Christian, the majority are “nominal” Christians.
Sadly, it is sometimes difficult to tell American Christians from non-Christians.

Working Hours
The average American works 46 hours a week. U.S. military personnel often work more than that each
week and also face long deployments. Many office workers work from 8-5 or 9-5. In cities, many
grocery stores and convenience (gas/food) stores employees work different hours since those stores are
open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Free Time
Evening or weekend activities for families and for unmarried people
may include: working late, or doing work at home; eating at a
restaurant with family or friends; watching TV, movies, or being on
the internet; playing computer games; attending sports, school, club,
or church events; reading or helping children with homework; and
exercising (also called “working out”) at home or at a gym. In
Colorado, people especially like to do outdoor sporting activities such as hiking, biking, mountain
climbing, etc.

Speech
Americans may speak loud and fast – we usually don’t mean to be aggressive or disrespectful, it is just
our custom. It’s okay to ask us to speak slower or repeat ourselves.

Clothes
Americans dress very casually – often even in church. In some cultures
dressing casually is seen as a sign of disrespect, but most Americans don’t
think of their clothing style as disrespectful or respectful – they think of
clothes mainly in terms of comfort.

Friendships
Americans are often very friendly but may have only a few deep
friendships. This is partially because Americans are very busy, and also because Americans move
often.

Children
American children have more freedom than they do in some
cultures and are more self-reliant. They often are included in adult
conversations, and their parents are involved with their activities.
Because of the high rate of divorce in America, many families
include step-children from previous marriages.

Daycare is child care for infants and preschoolers whose parents

work. Public school is from kindergarten until 12th grade, paid for by government through taxes. Some
parents choose private schools, which they pay for, because they don’t like the quality of public
education or want a religious education for their children. Some families, especially religious ones,
home school their children.

Pets Six out of 10 Americans have pets. Many Americans keep their pets
indoors and treat them like companions (and even sometimes like family
members).

Typical Meals
Breakfast: cereal with milk, bagels, eggs, smoothies, coffee, juice. Fast-food breakfasts (McDonalds)
are common. A special breakfast might include pancakes, waffles with syrup, and biscuits with gravy.
Lunch: sandwiches (peanut butter & jelly, bologna, turkey, ham); salads and fruits; fast food
(hamburgers, pizza, tacos, chicken) or restaurant with co-workers.
Dinner/supper: pizza, spaghetti, meat with potatoes and vegetables, lasagna, tacos or burritos,
casseroles, and dessert. The evening meal is usually eaten between 6-8 p.m.

Many Americans cook with pre-cooked and pre-packaged meals, and Americans eat at restaurants
frequently. Americans may eat faster and take larger portions of food than you are used to. If your
hosts offer more food than you want, it is okay to say, “No thanks, I’m full.”

Regional Differences

Accents: Verbal accents are different around the U.S. For example, New York
City residents, Southerners, and Texans all have strong accents.

Attitudes: East Coast residents are often more formal in their attitudes; West
Coast residents are often more casual and relaxed. Midwesterners and Southerners
are often more relaxed and friendly.

Foods: The Western States are known for lighter foods influenced by Hispanic and Asian immigrants.
The West Coast is known for healthier foods; the Midwest and Southern states are known for heavy,
bland food influenced by European immigrants.
 Common American Sayings
What’s up? Means “Hello.” Common answer is, “Not much!”

Awesome or Cool means “great.” Example: That bike is awesome!

As easy as pie or A piece of cake means "very easy." Example: This hike will be as easy as pie!

Be sick and tired of or I can’t stand means "I hate." Example: I'm sick and tired of being on duty.

Give someone a hand means "help." Example: I want to move this desk. Can you give me a hand?

Hit the hay or Crash means "go to bed" (also "hit the sack") Example: It's late - time to hit the hay.

In the nick of time means "not too late, but close!" Example: I got to my station in the nick of time.

Hang out means “to meet casually.” Example: Let’s hang out when we have free time.

Once in a while means "sometimes." Example: I go to movies theaters once in a while.

Munchies means “chips or junk food.” Example: I got some munchies for our hike.

Chill out or Take it easy means "relax." Example: I’m tired. Let’s take it easy.

No way means “that’s not going to happen” or it shows awe/disbelief. Example: Are you going to see
her again? Answer: “No way!" or “She gave you her phone number?? No way!"

Oops is said after a small mistake. Example: Oops! I slipped and fell!”

Screw up means “made a mistake”. Example: I really screwed up that order!

Wrap up means “to finish.” Example: Let’s wrap up this discussion.

You bet means “yes” or “of course.” Example: Are you coming? Answer: “You bet!”

Sweet means “nice.” Example: That is a sweet car!

I’m beat means “I’m tired.” Example: That hike was hard. I’m beat!

Sick usually mean ill, but sometimes means “great/cool.” Example: That’s a sick car!
Dunno means “I don’t know.” Example: What are you going to do? Answer: “I dunno.”

Colorado:
Our History, and Being a Guest in Our State

Health in Colorado: Colorado’s high, dry altitudes mean that you need to take
special care of your health. You must drink more water than usual to avoid
dehydration and altitude sickness, which can cause headaches and be dangerous.
Keep water with you at all times and force yourself to drink it, even if you don’t feel
thirsty. Keep medicine with you for headaches, muscle pain, etc. Acetaminophen
and Motrin are medicines that help with most pains except stomach illnesses. If you
develop a bad headache, let your guide know so they can watch you for altitude
sickness. Your skin and lips will sunburn easier at high altitudes, so use sunscreen,
lip balm, and skin lotion. When you are in the mountains hiking, never use creek or
lake water to wash dishes – this can lead to illnesses. After hiking, take time to
gently stretch your muscles and drink enough water after hiking that your urine
comes out clear, not yellow. This ensures you are hydrated. While in the mountains,
you need to wear layers of clothing to stay warm and wear a knit hat/cap to avoid
losing body heat through your head. We also advise carrying an alternate pair of
light shoes or boots to wear if your shoes get wet.
Mobile Phones: Please limit the use of your mobile/cell phones (except to take
photos) during I-RMH when you are with the group or interacting with others. We
understand that staying in touch with family and friends is important; however,
please place priority on communicating and being fully available to the people you
are with in person. There will be places where cell phone coverage is not available.

Environmental Care: During your time hiking in Colorado’s mountains, it is

especially important to take care of the land and water. When hiking, follow the trail
instead of taking a different path or short-cut, because short-cuts cause more erosion
and damage. Keep the size of the bonfires small so there is less smoke, and do not
burn plastics or other toxic trash. When you are done with a camp fire, put it out
using water and make sure the coals are completely out before leaving it. When
urinating or defecating in the mountains, do not do so in any water source (creeks,
lakes).

Colorado’s Size 104,100 square miles (167532.71 kilometers). Colorado is the 8th biggest
state in the USA.
Population 4,301,261. Colorado is the 24th most populous state in the USA.
Highest Point - Mt. Elbert; 4,399 m (14,433 feet) above sea level.

Colorado’s History
Colorado’s first people included several different American Indian tribes. Spanish and
French explorers came to Colorado in the early 1800s, and American pioneers flocked to
Colorado in the mid-1800s for the Gold Rush, when gold was found in the state. Colorado
became a state in 1876.

Today, Colorado’s biggest cities are Denver (650,000) -- which is surrounded by good-
sized suburban cities -- and Colorado Springs (449,000). Colorado is one of the fast-
growing states in terms of population. Over 1/4th of Colorado’s population lives in its two
largest cities/suburbs.

Colorado’s major industries are agriculture (wheat, cattle, sheep), tourism (especially
skiers), mining (gold, silver), oil, finance, and manufacturing. Colorado is home to several
pro sports teams (football [the Broncos], baseball [the Rockies], and hockey [the
Avalanche]).
 Historic Photos
Ute Indians, Colorado, 1913. Photo from Library of Congress

 Colorado cowboys, 1905.

Photo from Library of Congress

Miners 1800

Colorado’s Capitol: Denver

Colorado Springs
Elk
 Brown bear

Autumn colors

Skiing
0Colorado’s Military Bases and Installations

Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, is the

home of the Second and Third Brigade
Combat Teams of the 4th Infantry
Division, the Second Brigade Combat
Team of the 2nd Infantry Division, the
10th Special Forces Group, the 71st
Ordnance Group (EOD), the 43rd Area Support Group, and the First United States Army Training
Support Division - West.

The United States Air Force Academy,

Colorado Springs, is an institution for the
undergraduate education of officers for the
United States Air Force. Graduates of the
four-year program receive a Bachelor of
Science degree and most are commissioned as
second lieutenants in the United States Air
Force.

Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, is

home to US Northern Command, NORAD, Air
Force Space Command, Army Space Command,
the 21st Space Wing (host unit) and the 302d
Airlift Wing (reserve).

Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado

Springs, is home to Air Force Space
Command's 50th Space Wing, which
provides command and control for
Department of Defense warning,
navigational, and communications satellites. Also housed at Schriever AFB are the Joint National
Integration Center and the Space Innovation & Development Center.

Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, is the

host wing of the 460th Space Wing, a
unit of the Air Force Space Command.
Buckley's mission is to provide
combatant commanders with global
surveillance, worldwide missile warning,
homeland defense, and expeditionary
forces.