HomeXchange is our homestay program where we connect individuals with host families of the focus culture in order to gain an intensive immersion culture and language learning experience. We set up HomeXchange stays for anywhere between a short weekend “taste of culture” experience to a longer one year experience, depending on the needs and goals of the individual.
Each HomeXchange Host is native of the focus culture and fluent in the language. Xchange Students are encouraged to participate in most of the daily and weekly activities of the hosts in order to learn as much about the culture as possible. Hosts make themselves available to regularly mentor and assist Xchange Students with their language and culture acquisition. The program is designed to give Xchange Students the knowledge and skills necessary to build meaningful and successful cross-cultural relationships, not necessarily perfect the proper grammar of the language. In this way, Xchange Students can learn from the average person of the target culture, instead of overly focusing on written rules and grammar that most ordinary people don’t know. Their Hosts and other language Helpers become their primary “teachers.”
Want to live with a host family? Begin the application process here.
BECOME A HOST
Are you interested in helping a student experience and learn about your culture, while getting paid for it?
We are looking for available families and individuals who would welcome a student into their home to live with them for a cultural learning experience. As a host, a few of the benefits you gain include:
- Creating greater understanding and appreciation for your culture
- Breaking down misunderstandings and barriers that exist between cultures
- Building new relationships and connections
- Earning a generous financial stipend
A homestay can last anywhere from one weekend to one year, depending on the student’s needs and the host’s availability. Hosts agree to:
- Provide a place for the student to sleep (it could be a bed in a private room, a space on the floor in a shared room, a couch in the living room, or another arrangement – we will provide a mattress if needed)
- Provide one meal a day (a homecooked meal every day is not expected)
- Spend three hours a week with the student (sharing meals together, sharing about your culture, answering student’s questions, doing activities together, or any other way you’d like to share time and give them a taste of your culture)
Interested in Hosting a student? Begin the application process here.
Culture & Language Xchange 