What advice would you share with future host families?
Every hosting experience is unique, but our host families have learned valuable lessons along the way. We asked them to share the advice they wish every new host family knew, and here’s what they had to say.
- Have fun! Try to set aside time to converse but also be okay with going to bed and finding relaxation time because being “on” is hard. -Devin
- Make sure that you schedule a wide variety of things for the students to engage in. Cook for your students! This was something that my student enjoyed. Have plenty of cards and or board games on hand and ready to play. -Dana
- Try to walk the students through every aspect of your home – like, how to work the shower, where you store the extra toilet paper, where to hang their towels, how the shower curtain works, leave the bathroom door open after use, how to work the washer and dryer, etc. -Beth
- Do it! Learn as you go and just enjoy adding to your international family. -Lora
- Have no expectations of what the student or experience will be like. -Sarah
- Patience & just communicating with them the best you can. They are different & it takes a lot of understanding sometimes. Everyone’s culture & family life is different & we are not here to change them but to help them understand our culture. -Peggy
- Write things down that are important so that they can translate and better understand. Have patience. Explain even the simplest of things. -Joan
- Given their young age, these students will remember these homestays for the rest of their lives, even if it’s a small snippet of your adult life, these students will be impacted by their stays here and will cherish those memories forever. -Michael
- Don’t be shy, be your best self & be open minded. -Sheila
- I will recommend showing patience, love and as much support as possible to the students -Jennie