Family Stay

A key part to a Language & Friendship program is the family stay component. One can always be a tourist; however, a family stay is a unique opportunity to be immersed in the language and culture in a personal way. Most of our groups stay with host families for 5 to 10 days, and some choose longer stays. Even though the family stay is short, it's a valuable experience in growth and self-reliance, and a chance to build a friendship that can last a lifetime.

Each student has his/her own host family in order to have a more beneficial immersion experience. An individual experience allows the student to really practice the language and become part of the family who is also looking forward to creating a new friendship.

The family-stay coordinator: Language & Friendship has en extensive network of teachers and friends abroad who coordinate the family-stay portion of the program. They find families in their own schools and communities and personally meet each of the families to discuss the goals of the program. They are dedicated to providing a good experience for each student and host family. They are present for the duration of the family stay, working with the host family, the American teacher, and the student in case of any question and concerns.

The host family: Host families volunteer to receive a student into their homes, welcoming the student in recognition of the educational benefit that hosting brings to the whole family. Families don't mind grammatical erros; they are happy to help students express themselves and hope their student will be interested and willing to try. Matches are based on interests and needs of both host families and students. The host family information is usually sent to the organizing teacher approximately 3-4 weeks before departure.

The American student: The success of the family stay depends a lot on our students’ preparation beforehand and the willingness to be open to experiencing a new culture while abroad. Program Expectations and Communication Expectations are in place to guide our students, giving them the parameters they need to have a successful experience. L&F's preparation materials include situational dialogues to help students practice their communicaiton skills and lots of useful expressions. The opportuntiy for students to put these skills to use in a family environment is truly rewarding.

The American teacher: During the family stay, the teacher/leader traveling with the group will be in the hosting community and is available to help the students, working with the host family and the host family coordinator in case of any question or concern.

The American friends/family: Parents can support their child by reviewing the Family Stay section of the Student Guidebook thoroughly and by reviewing the Communication Expectations together. By encouraging their child to be open to the differences they will encounter and ready to put their best foot forward, parents can help their child prepare for the difficulties and joys that this challenging experience will bring. Family and friends can also help ensure a successful family stay by refraining from unnecessary communication, which disrupts and detracts from the experience.

Parent tip: Write a letter to your child’s host family, thanking them for generously opening their home to your child. Parent-to-parent contact can be extremely helpful in creating trust and open communication.

What do students have to say about their family stay experience?

family stay