By on May 29th, 2017

6 Things Homestay Hosts Should Have for Your International Students

Hosting an international student is a lot of fun. You have a lot to look forward to with this experience, but the following will make it even easier to properly prepare for it.

A Bed and Their Own Room

This isn’t just a pleasant courtesy. There are laws regarding hosting international students. While most companies that support these programs do a great job, the State Department also plays a role in ensuring that students are provided with proper living arrangements.

You’ll actually receive two visits from government agents to check your home and make sure it’s one that’s suitable for an international student.

Fortunately, as long as it’s not in ruins and there are no signs you’re hurting the student, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

However, two things you must have for your student are a bed just for them and their own room. The bed cannot be an air mattress.

A Desk

While it’s not required by the State Department like the last two features, it will be helpful for your student if you’re able to provide them with a desk. This will give them a designated area to do their studies. Otherwise, they may not know where it’s appropriate to do them without getting in anyone’s way.

A Laundry Basket

This may seem obvious, but in your rush to make sure your international student’s room has everything it needs, you may completely forget to give them a place to put their dirty laundry.

As a result, they might be confused about what to do with their dirty clothes. At first, they might also be too shy to ask.

Even if you intend on having your student join in on chores, the laundry basket will still be helpful for everyone involved.

Meals That Involve Some of Their Native Ingredients

Don’t try cooking the meals you assume your international student would want right away. Chances are that the way we cook them here in America will differ greatly from the way the dishes are made back in their home country. Although the sentiment is certainly a kind one, you might make your student feel uncomfortable because they don’t know how to react.

Instead, wait until they’re settled in and then ask them about their favorite dishes. It might be fun to make them together. Once you understand their preferences, keep some of their favorite ingredients on hand so they always have a standby when they’re hungry.

A Set of Rules for the House

This definitely isn’t the type of thing you want to hand your international student right away, but at some point, you do want to make sure they clearly understand your house rules. An actual list will be a huge help for them. Just make certain you go over each of the rules with them. It might help to do this with your children present, too, so everyone is on the same page.

Time with the Phone/Computer

Finally, remember that they have a family back home who will be thinking about them 24/7. Even though you may have rules about how your children use the Internet and phone (especially on school nights), you need to make sure that they still have ample time to talk with their loved ones on a regular basis.

Every student is different. As time goes on, you’ll figure out other ways to make them comfortable in their new home and keep them happy during their stay. However, the above items are the bare minimum you should have ready for them.