By on January 1st, 2016

4 Mistakes First-Time Host Families Make

If you’re preparing to host an international student in your home, you’re probably pretty excited, but you might also be a bit nervous, too. A lot of host families have the best intentions, but they still end up making the same mistakes with their students. Here’s a quick guide to avoid the biggest goofs that first-time host families make.

Speaking Way Too Loudly

This is something almost everyone does when they speak to someone who doesn’t speak their language very well yet. They’ll try to speak slowly and enunciate their words, which is really great, but they’ll also tend to take the volume up a few notches. That’s not necessary, and it can be off-putting.

Failing to Communicate Your Routines and Traditions

Before your student arrives, take a look at your regular daily and weekly schedules at your house. Then take a look at the calendar for when your student will be staying with you. Do you have any routines or traditions that are going to be out of the ordinary for your student? When your student arrives, take the opportunity to talk about them, explain them, and invite your student to join in, too.

Taking It Personally

If your student accidentally breaks a rule or seems rude because they’re having trouble communicating or they have different customs where they come from, don’t take it personally. Instead, use it as another opportunity for communicating and learning about each other’s lives and cultures. Chances are pretty good that your student didn’t mean any offense and will probably feel pretty bad that they offended you or hurt your feelings, so don’t stew about it or take it personally.

Smothering Them

Finally, when your student arrives, they’ll probably have just gotten off a really long flight, and they’re probably going to be tired. Give them a little while to unwind and decompress, and don’t smother them with activities and constant attention. Do, however, make sure that you invite and include them whenever you can. It’s a bit of a balancing act, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly enough if you try.

Hosting an international student can be incredibly rewarding, and you can avoid a lot of embarrassing, awkward, and unpleasant situations if you just avoid these four mistakes. For more information on becoming a host family, contact us today or start the application process right now.