Thanks for the clarification. From personal experience at 4 different universities, I can say that at one of those universities, there were two Canadians and one American who had all graduated from universities that had a mission statement that included preparing students for the second coming. Students would be invited to their apartments for English practice. Snacks would be provided and the finale would be singing some hymns. All the teachers spoke about their faith during these English practice sessions.

Students who spoke to me about what they did in their free time, indicated that some felt uncomfortable but others liked the activity because they were fond of the teachers involved. So from this small sample I could not conclude that it is the norm, but it does happen.

That I struggle to understand. I know of a Mexican lady teaching Spanish here that does that, but I don't think it is a religious thing. They do all the snacks and music, but I just think it looks like a boring house party without booze to tell the truth.

As for American teachers and your potlucks, sorry but that's an element of your culture I just don't get, it is just like a tea-party with more food.

A house party should have some banging tunes, preferably a few DJs and a good sound-system, a fridge full of cold beers, a kitchen worktop with a few bottles of spirits and mixers ready to lubricate conversations with random strangers, a bathroom that can seldom be used because people are constantly locked in doing coke or shagging, people monging out in a random bedrooms, people sharing spliffs in the garden.

House parties are just not a place for my students to show up, lol. The problem with working and living at the uni, is that you just don't shit on your own doorstep. So, I don't do house parties at my place, full stop.

As for me, I'm not that old and male, so inviting students to my apartment does not look good, especially since most of my students are female. I don't think that my girlfriend would like me inviting them to my apartment on a regular basis either. I just invite them to my office instead, offices are actually designed for work, lol. Besides, my home is my home, right?