BE A “BUDDY” TO AN INTERNATIONAL World Finals Team

| Online Buddy Team Application |

Odyssey of the Mind offers World Finals teams from the United States and Canada the opportunity to serve as “Buddy Teams” to International teams participating at World Finals. It is our wish to provide each International Team a warm welcome and support as they travel to the U.S. to participate in World Finals, many for the first time.

Here is a general idea of Buddy Team interaction:

  • The Buddy Team welcomes its International Team when it gets to campus.
  • Though the degree of interaction varies from team to team, the international students will be most interested in learning about where you live, what your school is like, and the differences between cultures.
  • You may eat some meals together, plan an excursion off campus, go swimming, play soccer, or just hang out together.
  • They may need assistance in finding the various sites on campus, or materials and tools for last minute repair of props.
  • Most Buddy Teams and International Teams exchange small gifts with each other. We suggest these items be representative of your area of the country such as post cards, pins, or T-shirts.

Many variables are taken into consideration when matching the Buddy Team with an International Team, such as: Problem and division of both teams, and ages and gender of team members. This year we will be looking for Buddy Teams that can arrive on campus on Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Buddy Teams find their experiences richly rewarding. Here are some Buddy Team Testimonials.

To participate as a Buddy Team, your team must register for World Finals and Michigan State University housing and fill out the online form by April 28, 2017. Late Applications will be accepted from those states whose tournaments are after the deadline.

For more information please contact: buddyteam@odysseyofthemind.com

Or apply now!

For more cultural exchange after World Finals, there is also a Homestay Program. Learn more about Homestay here.