What to expect from homestay

This is what you can expect your homestay to provide:

• Your own, private room, unless you have specifically asked to share with a friend or partner.
• A friendly welcome, with explanations of how to use things in the house and the best way to get to school.
• Advice or help if you have a problem.
• Facilities to do your washing and ironing (or your hosts may do it for you). Your weekly accommodation charge includes one clothes wash per week. Please be prepared to pay your hosts extra for more than one wash.
• A chair and desk or table with a light for studying.
• A wardrobe or cupboard for your clothes.
• Breakfast every day
• Evening meals, every day, if your homestay booking includes these.
• Sheets and towels (laundered once a week).
• A warm and comfortable home
• A front door key, so you can come in and go out when you like.
• Facilities for a bath or shower every day.
• The opportunity to receive telephone calls (within reasonable hours).
• The opportunity to watch TV with your hosts, or in your room if it has a TV.

What your hosts will expect from you:

• To be considerate and to remember that you are staying in someone's home, not in a hotel.
• Not to smoke in the house if you are staying in non-smoking accommodation.
• Not to make a noise if you come home after 10.30pm, when other people in the house may already be asleep.
• To close the front door properly when you return, and lock any doors or windows they have asked you to.
• To turn off lights and heating where possible
• To be considerate if you are sharing the bathroom with your hosts or other guests, so they are not held up.
• To keep the bathroom as tidy as possible, and clean up after you use it.
• To keep your own room reasonably tidy, so that it can be cleaned.
• To let your hosts know if your plans change during the day - for example, you decide that you do not want an evening meal with your hosts.
• To let your hosts know if you intend to stay out all night or until the early hours of the morning. If you do not they may worry about you, or need to lock doors and windows.
• To allow your hosts some privacy so that they can lead their own lives. Do not expect them to be there all the time just for you.

Most importantly, please remember that you are here to learn and to enjoy yourself. If you are interested in the life of your host family they will be interested in yours. If you treat your family with respect, they will give you their respect. This could be an exceptional experience for you and you could make friends for life.