Things To Consider When Choosing Homestay Programs

| Thursday, October 3, 2013
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 the expected charges. Although homestays are very cheap compared to hostel accommodation, you need to be prepared for the expenses. Money is never the ideal behind this type of accommodation, so you should not expect to be charged much. This such as meals will be shared and you will share fun activities as well.

Consider your preferred location. Most families normally tend to live further out of major cities. Therefore, if you need to get to school early in the morning, you have to consider your options carefully. You need convenience in traveling and living environment. If your school is located in a very busy city, then you may have to commute for even one hour to get to class.

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.

You would want to know the genders and ages of people you are going to live with. The organizers normally perform thorough background checks on their list of homestay providers to ensure that visitors are safe and comfortable. Safety, therefore, should not be a major concern, but you have to ensure you are with a company you will enjoy living with.

Know how much time the family has. Homestays are not just meant o provide cheap accommodation, the essence of the program is to enhance cultural exchange. If all the members are busy, you may not be able to hold in-depth discussions about your culture or even engage in different activities.

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.

Ensure you can communicate well with your host. Most organizers always ensue that they match with someone who understand the language you speak. However, you should also make an effort to learn a bit of the host language during your stay.

Learn about the living conditions beforehand. This will help prepare you properly so that you do not get surprises. Although you should not expect to have everything you get when you are at home, you can check available amenities to ensure your stay will be convenient.

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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