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02 October 2013

Tips For Choosing Homestay Programs

By Angel Dudley


There are many accommodation options for those who travel abroad, especially students. While most people may only think of booking a hostel or hotel, you can also decide to live with a family in the local area. This has many advantages including price and cultural interaction. Moreover, one will also learn the real family experience in the host country. To ensure you have a happy stay, consider the tips below when seeking homestay programs.

Know your budget. Most families that offer their homes for accommodation do not do it for economic reasons. Therefore, this is a very cheap option. Nevertheless, you need to know how much you have to spend for the duration of your stay. Some people may accept any amount, but you also need to provide a reasonable amount.

Consider the location of the family. You have to inform the organizers of your preferences so that they can help you choose a location that will suit your needs. If you are attending campus, then you need a place that is close to the college. This can be challenging because most homes are location outside cities. Therefore, you need to make your application early.

Be ready to make your needs known. When carrying out the application, you need to give a detailed description of yourself so that you may be linked with the most suitable family. You do not want to end up in a home with ten large German shepherds and you are dead afraid of dogs.

Check the type of family structure. It is good to know how many children are in the household, their genders and ages. This will help you be prepared of even change the host if you feel the composition does not meet your expectations. You may not be used to toddlers and you may only prefer older children.

Choose a family whose members are available. If everyone is working like two shifts a day, then you can be certain that you will spend most time you are home alone. You will learn very little from the stay, which fails to meet the ideals of a homestay program.

Consider the number of people who will be living in the same home during your stay. Some homes take several travelers. This may increase the mixture of culture but a very large group of individuals of different backgrounds may impede the level of individual interaction.

Choose a family that you can communicate with. If you only speak English, then you do not expect to learn a foreign language within days. It is, therefore, important to choose a family that can communicate with your language, even just for basic communication. You will also need to learn some language skills of the host.

Know the family structure before you travel. It is good to know the amenities to expect. This will help you blend in quickly and avoid surprises. You should not expect to live as you do at home. In fact, you should stay within the means of your host.

Homestay programs are very ideal when you are staying for just a few months. However, you should be ready to change your lifestyle. The secret to a happy stay is to blend with the host family.




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