Tuesday, October 1, 2013
How To Choose The Best Homestay Programs
By Angel Dudley
When a student goes to another country for academic exchange, the essence of the arrangement is t learn different cultures. However, student life is rather constant in most places; therefore, staying in a hostel may not give one much experience. To get optimum cultural experience, it is advisable to look for a family to live with on the host country. When considering homestay programs, you may find the guideline below useful.
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.
Make your needs clear. Your organizer should have your interests at heart, but they will only be able to help you when they understand your needs. Describe your likes and dislikes and try to be as honest as possible. Do not hide any health problems or psychological problems that you feel may affect your stay.
Consider the ages and gender of the host family members. To avoid serious problems of serious incompatibility, you should try to know what to expect before you travel so that you can change you host if necessary. You may find that you are going to live with elderly people while you would prefer to have some teenagers around.
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.
Ensure you are comfortable with the number of travelers being accommodated. Most hosts normally have more than one guest at any given time. However, if the number is too large, people may not mingle well and you may end up learning very little at the end of your stay.
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.
You will find homestay programs quite enjoyable. The secret is to try to fit within the family as very fast. Opening up will also make things easier.
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.
Make your needs clear. Your organizer should have your interests at heart, but they will only be able to help you when they understand your needs. Describe your likes and dislikes and try to be as honest as possible. Do not hide any health problems or psychological problems that you feel may affect your stay.
Consider the ages and gender of the host family members. To avoid serious problems of serious incompatibility, you should try to know what to expect before you travel so that you can change you host if necessary. You may find that you are going to live with elderly people while you would prefer to have some teenagers around.
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.
Ensure you are comfortable with the number of travelers being accommodated. Most hosts normally have more than one guest at any given time. However, if the number is too large, people may not mingle well and you may end up learning very little at the end of your stay.
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.
You will find homestay programs quite enjoyable. The secret is to try to fit within the family as very fast. Opening up will also make things easier.
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