There are thousands of students who travelling from their own homes every year to visit a foreign culture and learn the English language. English remains the most widely spoken language in the world and a good knowledge of it is essential when conducting International business transactions. The cheapest and most practical option for many of these students is to stay with a host family. Not only does this relieve the financial burden of this type of study, it also allows a student to integrate with you and your family; this is the best way for anyone to learn a new language.
There are many places which offer host families to these students. GP Home stay is one such facility; the full list of the services they offer is displayed on their website with most organizers of host families, they are always on the lookout for additional families; in fact they have a section of their website dedicated to how to become a host family.
In fact, becoming a host family is relatively simple. There are a few simple steps which need to be followed:
Availability
You will need to establish that you have the time and space to look after a student or students. They will need a bedroom and some of your time; particularly as a family. The best way for them to practice their improving language skills is by simply engaging in day to day conversation with you. As such you are advised to line up at least one trip out every week where they are with the entire family. You may find that many evenings they are busy partaking in activities organized by the school, however, they will always need feeding!
Registering
The next step in how to become a host family is to register with your chosen school. They will need a few basic details, including your interests. They will assess these to ensure that there will be a good number of students who will be interested in staying with you. The application will also include details of the time you have available to look after a student and your ability to transport them to and from the school if necessary.
Home Check
Once your application has been approved the majority of providers will wish to perform a home check. This will confirm the number of rooms you have available and that your home meets the required safety and cleanliness standards set by the hosting facility. This is not a difficult part of the process of how to become a host family, but it is essential. IF there are any small issues the firm will provide guidance on how to correct them.
Approval
The process of becoming a host family is then complete. Depending upon the approach taken by the organizer you may reach out to potential students or you simply wait until you are advised a student is ready for you. You will then be provided with the students details and an arrival time; they are likely to need picking up from either the airport or the host provider. Then simply enjoy the company and the learning experience!