Guide for Hosts

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Having an international student in your home takes time, patience, and a willingness to share. There are many differences to overcome, both cultural and personal—but learning about these differences and celebrating them is part of the joy of welcoming someone into your home—and, in many cases, making a new friend for life. So, be yourself and have fun! What to Expect Besides providing meals, a host has a significant role in the successful development of a student’s English skills. It is very important that students be included in family activities, outings, discussions, and so on. This makes the students feel like part of the family at the same time as it exposes them to English in a natural environment. You may find the students somewhat shy at first. If you find them spending a lot of time alone, try to organize an activity to do together like shopping, cooking dinner, or walking the dog. You will notice certain cultural differences. When you do, please be as gentle and understanding as possible, keeping in mind that there are often no right or wrong ways of doing something, only different ways. Of course, each culture has its own norms and social etiquette. If you notice your student doing something unacceptable in terms of Canadian culture or social etiquette, please let them know in a kind and helpful way. Getting Settled Upon arrival, introduce the student to all members of your family. Repeat the names so they can remember. Make sure they have your address and phone numbers (home and work) on a sheet of paper—they should keep this with them at all times. Then show them around. A Tour of Your House Please give the student a tour of your house and show them where everything is, with special care to show them the essentials, including their bedroom and bathroom; the kitchen and dining area; the laundry room; the linen closet (or wherever you keep your clean linen and towels); and so on. Please make it clear how to use: • The washer and dryer (provide them with any necessary supplies); • The fire extinguisher and what to do in case of fire; • Appliances and entertainment, like the dishwasher, TV, microwave, computer etc.; • The telephone (911 should be posted by the phone and its use explained). Without your instructions, your student won’t know if and how they can make themselves at home! Your student should arrive to find their own bed, closet space and a place for studying, as well as clean towels and linen. Please respect their right for privacy when they are in their room. Always knock and announce yourself before entering their room. Do not go into their rooms when they are not at home without their permission. A Tour of the Neighborhood & Local Transit Please ensure that your student has proper directions to and from their school and to any local attractions or meeting place, if they going out with friends or on a school outing. Please show your student the route to and from your home to their school, before they start classes on the first day of school. Many hosts give their students a note of the bus number and route; you might also let them know how to use a public telephone and to dial 911, in the event of a personal emergency. If you are unable to show your student to their school before their first day and cannot arrange anyone else to help, please contact CHI for assistance. © 2011 CHI/CANADA HOMESTAY INTERNATIONAL 2
If your student is part of a short-stay group, you may be required to drive (or accompany them by bus) to and from school. Your CHI representative will discuss this with you. Household Rules All of the rules or guidelines that apply to your family members will also apply to your student. You set the curfew, dinner times, etc.—life should go on as usual with your new guest. It is often beneficial to have a full family meeting to go over the house rules at the beginning of each student’s stay. For students under the age of majority, we ask that you uphold the following rules in addition to your household customs: • All students are expected to be home on or before 6:00 p.m. for dinner on school nights. • Students must observe weekend curfews (Friday and Saturday). Earlier times may be set, however, depending on circumstances: • Grades 6 – 8: 9:30 p.m. • Grade 9: 10:00 p.m. • Grade 10: 11:00 p.m. • Grade 11: 11:30 p.m. • Grade 12: 12:00 a.m. • No smoking or purchasing of cigarettes • No drinking • No driving or owning of motorized vehicles Each host must ensure that their students understand and respect their house rules and guidelines. If you are having difficulty doing so, please contact us for assistance. Household Routines and Customs As soon as you feel it is appropriate, please explain your household routines. These include: • habits and preferences concerning baths and showers (bathroom etiquette is sometimes very different elsewhere in the world); • keeping their bedroom and bathroom tidy; • assisting with daily chores (cooking, dishes); • where food can or cannot be eaten; • doing laundry; • curfew for your children (if any); • your smoking (or non-smoking) policy; • limits on the television/stereo/VCR and the use of other family property; • family schedules, including bedtime hours; and • notifying family of whereabouts and guests etc. Please advise them if there is something that you would prefer to keep “off limits”. Pocket Money & Valuables While many students are experienced travelers who are savvy with money, some are not. Students are normally advised not to bring or display a lot of cash. If your student does bring a large sum of cash, please encourage them to turn it into traveler’s cheques to minimize the risk of theft. Please remind them that they will need their passports to cash traveler’s cheques and, in some cases, in order to get an advance on the their Credit Card from a bank teller. If the student is here for a long stay, we recommend that you please help them to set up a bank account at your local bank. Please do not make loans to your student. Please notify CHI if you sense that your student is short of funds; we will contact their parents about their finances. Please make sure your students put their valuables (eg. passport) in a safe place. It is a good idea to make a photocopy of important documents (passport, insurance papers and traveler’s cheques). Telephone & Internet Please provide reasonable use of the phone for local calls. To avoid any complications over payment, it is quite reasonable to expect your students to purchase a calling card for long distance calls. These offer great value and are widely available in convenience stores. © 2011 CHI/CANADA HOMESTAY INTERNATIONAL 3
Page 1: Host Guide: Welcome to the CHI host
Page 5 and 6: leave them to find food themselves,
Page 7 and 8: • Are in unresolved personality c
Page 9 and 10: A Host’s Perspective Continued On

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