Live with a Host Family Abroad

Would you like to experience life in a small Turkish village, see Mt. Fuji when you awake every morning, or hike the northern Spanish mountains with a family as your guide?

You can with CCI's Discovery Abroad Independent Homestay Program! The program focuses exclusively on the short-term homestay experience and is perfect for participants wanting complete immersion in a new culture.

The Independent Homestay Program offers participants a special insight into the host country's society through experiencing daily life, customs and values. Participants will discover that people can "learn to live together by living together." The Independent Homestay Program is an intensive cross-cultural experience and is not a tour or travel program. There are no outside touring programs organized, and you may not work or attend school during your homestay. You will be received as a member of the family and will be involved in the daily activities of that family. You will also have opportunities to go off and explore the host community independently, so you must feel somewhat comfortable with the host country language and exploring on your own.

One of the nice aspects to the Independent Homestay Program is its flexibility. You set your own start and end dates for one to four weeks throughout the year, and you may choose three cities or regions of interest as a homestay destination preference. CCI cannot guarantee your preferences, but every attempt will be made to accommodate you in one of your three choices. You may also wish to participate in two consecutive homestay programs in different areas of a country. Or, another option is to participate in a homestay in one country and then travel to a different country for another homestay. Many countries can even accommodate couples!

Living with a Host Family
The Independent Homestay focuses on the homestay experience. There is no better way to learn or improve your knowledge about a culture and a language than to live with a family and experience every day life first hand. By living with a family, you are given the opportunity to share in meals, conversation, and daily activities. You will have your own bed and full board (3 meals a day). Most host families are volunteer families and are motivated by the idea of making cross–cultural friendships. They do not see themselves as a hotel. Most families want to get to know you as a person and hope to continue the friendship after the homestay. It is an appropriate gesture to take your host family a small gift from your home community or region to thank them for welcoming you into their home.

Host families are carefully selected and screened. Some families have hosted before, but for others it is a first time experience. Your family might be a couple with or without children, a single parent, or a single person interested in other cultures. All participants must be willing to accept the family matched to them.

Host families are not required or expected to be a tour guide. Within each family you will experience a different dynamic. Typical family activities have often included attending family picnics or visiting relatives, going to the movies with a host family member, enjoying long dinners together, meeting the neighbors over a barbecue, and visiting local shops, sites, and city centers together. We ask that you not travel overnight away from your homestay, but you are certainly welcome and expected to explore the area on your own or with friends you have met in the community.

You will be sent your host family details, including name, address, and telephone number along with some general information about the family within a week prior to your departure. Often you will have placement information earlier than that. You should write or call your host family before arrival in order to introduce yourself personally.

Local Support
A local representative will assist you with questions you may have during your stay. You will be given the name of the local representative along with your host family details. If you have any questions or difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact your local representative. He or she is there for you!

Travel Arrangements
Upon acceptance to the Independent Homestay Program, CCI will instruct you on how to make travel arrangements. All travel arrangements are the responsibility of the participant and need to be booked according to instructions. Typically, participants fly to a central airport and then fly or take a train or bus to the homestay community. CCI will assist as much as possible in suggesting travel arrangements to the homestay community. However, the ground transportation is your responsibility and you may need to make some transfers independently. In some cases, your local representative or your host family will meet you at the closest airport or train station to the host community.

Expectations and Requirements
Participants accepted for the CCI Independent Homestay Program are expected to have an interest in other cultures and participate as fully as possible in family life. The program is available for participants with intermediate to advanced language experience for the host country. Although a few host families may speak some English, it is expected that participants will make every effort to converse in the language of the country visited. Please note: If you have elementary language skills, consider participating in one of CCI’s intensive Language School programs to improve your language skills before taking part in one of CCI’s Independent Homestay programs.

You are not allowed to extend your stay with your host family, and you should not ask your family if you might stay longer. Please remember that your family has made a commitment to host you for a specific time frame and it is unfair to put them in a position of feeling obligated to accommodate longer stays. If for some reason, your host family invites you to extend your stay, you must notify your local representative. If your host family and the CCI partner office give approval for a program extension, you will be charged for each additional day’s stay.

Program Length
Independent Homestays are typically available for 1 to 4 weeks, throughout the year.

Program Includes

Program Does Not Include

Note: CCI recommends that participants budget approximately $500 as spending money for a one-month program to cover additional expenses for excursions, public transportation, telephone calls, souvenirs, emergency funds, etc.

Deadlines
Applications are due at least 6 weeks before your desired program start date. We may be able to accommodate late applications, but they will be considered on a case-by-case basis, especially during the summer months.

Need more information?
Click here to request a brochure, or send us a message.  Feel free to contact us by phone toll free (in the U.S. only), 1-866-684-9675.

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