When making a visit to Jamestown Community College, it might be wise to learn how to say “Hello,” in Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, French or Haitian Creole French.

On Wednesday afternoon, the students who speak these languages in their own countries were instead learning more about the English language as a part of the English Immersion Program at JCC.

The group of 10 students have been taking part in site-seeing, American cultural activities, lessons and more for the past few weeks.

Recently, the class went bowling together, visited Niagara Falls, took a trip on the Summer Wind, participated in a drum circle and partook of an Amish dinner with an Amish family.

Jennifer Apthorpe, international outreach coordinator, said the program is in its eighth year and has seen great success.

“It’s a three-week intensive English program for anyone interested in improving their English,” Apthorpe said. “It’s a unique program within the SUNY system. This year, we have students from Spain, Japan, Haiti, Jordan and Tunisia, and some of the students will stay for three weeks, while others will remain for the school year.”

She said even though the students come from different backgrounds, they bond together almost immediately.

“There is almost a camaraderie which develops in the class,” Apthorpe said. “They really do get excited to be here.”

She said Chautauqua County is a great place for the program to be held because it gives a “snap shot of rural American life.”

“We have such a friendly area, and (the students) have gotten to make connections and meet others,” Apthorpe said. “It just shows how much we can learn from each other.”

Jihane Vital, a student in the program, said she most enjoys learning about American culture.

“In the activities, we are speaking a lot,” Vital said, adding America is very different from her country, but it is interesting to see.

Fellow students Eri Odawara and Suzumi Takeuchi said they enjoy the lessons the most.

“We listen to a lot of English and we read (about) many topics,” Odawara said. “I like to hear my teacher’s stories about American culture. She teaches so I can understand.”

Ala Eddine Souizzi said it is exciting to interact with the other students in the program.

Souizzi is one of the students who will remain for the rest of the year at Jamestown Community College.

“I like the discussions in class,” Souizzi said. “It helps to improve our English.”

“She forces us to speak English all the time,” said Ramon Sola, a professor of architecture in Spain, with a grin.

Sola and his wife, Carola, are very familiar with Jamestown Community College and have attended the program for the past few years.

Each summer, they visit Chautauqua County, and enroll in the immersion program to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the program offers.

Julee Strek, ESL professor, said each student had some background in English, but they way the students have learned English in their respective countries is different.

“Each country focuses on a different aspect of English,” Strek said, adding some focus more on speaking while others focus more on writing or reading.

Overall, she said her favorite part about the program is learning about each students culture.

“They teach me just as much as I teach them,” Strek said.

Nelson Garifi, Academic Innovation executive director, said the program first began in 2008 after the residence halls were put in place.

“It provided an opportunity for (students) to strengthen their skills,” Garifi said. “The students all learn from each other and it gives them a sense of the world.”

He said international students who will attend JCC during the fall semester are encouraged to come a few weeks early to participate in the program, and other regional colleges are invited to send their students who would like to work on their English skills to the program as well.

“In the past, we have also had local students who are local for whom English is not their first language,” Garifi said.

The student group for this year includes an attorney from Haiti, a Spanish banker, and more, he said.

Garifi said community members are more than welcome to participate in the program if they would like to work on their English language skills, or it is also open to family members in other countries who would like to take part.

“It’s a good resource, and it can be a community asset as well,” he said.