At our company, we introduce you to three different host families and have you choose the one that best suits you.
In other words, the guest usually chooses the host.
However, it is important to not forget that the host also has a right to choose what guests stay in their house as well.
Keeping this in mind, one has to wonder what kind of guests hosts prefer to have.
In this post, we will go over some of the qualities that hosts like to see in their guests. Let’s get started!
Characteristics and Qualities Hosts Love in a Guest
First, let’s look over some qualities that are usually favored by host families.
Age: Teens and Twenties
The average age of an international student is from eighteen to somewhere in the late twenties.
Most hosts have two or more rooms available for guests, so they accept more than one international student at a time.
Many hosts try to accept students who are similar in age to ensure that they will get along well as roommates.
Students are Preferred
While this could differ depending on the host family, it seems that international students are preferred as guests compared to tourists.
One of the main reasons for this is that most hosts leave the house to work most of the day, so they feel safer knowing that their guest will not be alone in the house all day (since they will be at school.)
This does not mean tourists cannot do homestays, so if you want to do a homestay as a tourist please do not worry!
All this means is that for either tourists or international students, it is important to keep in mind that you should leave the house from the morning at the same time your host leaves as well.
People that Host Families Like
happens after you arrive in America
Let's discuss the personal characteristics that hosts like to see in their guests.
Politeness
This is something that is probably quite obvious, but showing good manners by using greetings (such as “Good morning!” in the morning and a “I’m home!” when you come home) is very important.
Even though you are a guest, it is important to remember to be thankful and show your gratitude often with a “thank you.” Hosts strongly prefer guests who are well mannered and gracious!
And most of all, the host is NOT your maid. You must respect them as they respect you, and never forget to show your gratitude for what they do for you
Communication
Many guests choose to do a homestay with the expectation that they will be able to enjoy speaking with and getting to know their host family.
And actually, many host families feel the same way, as one of the most common reasons they choose to accept guests into their home is cultural exchange!
So, people on both the host family side and guest side not only expect to communicate but want to do so.
Although it might take some time to build up confidence and get used to an all-English speaking environment, it is very important that you as a guest do your part in communicating with your host family by actively participating in and starting conversations with them.
Observe the House Rules
No matter the country, any house is bound to have house rules.
In order for both the host family and the guests to enjoy a comfortable homestay, it is very important to follow said house rules.
People Who Are NOT Suited for a Homestay
Host families also have the right to reject certain guests if they so desire.
In this next section, we will go over the types of people that are difficult for homestays to accept into their homes (although of course this does not apply to all host families.)
Minors
In America, individuals under 18 years old are called minors. Without the approval of parents or legal guardians, minors are unable to do many things, such as participating in certain events.
When it comes to school, a guardian is necessary to participate in school counseling sessions, keep in contact with the school, and give permission for the student to participate in school events.
Therefore, hosting a minor requires a lot more responsibility than hosting an adult, and it is because of this it is more common to see host families who prefer to host someone who is over the age of 18.
Older Guests
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there are also host families who prefer to not host people age forty and above.
From the host family’s point of view, once someone gets older they possibly become a lot more demanding and start to have many more requests, thus making them more difficult to handle.
Complicated Guests with Numerous Requirements
The “complicated” types of conditions and requirements here refer to things such as the following: must have a private bath, must be close to school, must be a certain style of house, must be a large size house, must be a family with a children, must be a family with pets, must be a house with a piano, must be a family who will take me out on weekends, must be a house with loose house rules, must cook certain types of foods…for host families it can be really difficult to satisfy guests with so many requests.
If you have too many conditions or special requirements that must be met, then there is a good chance you will end up not being able to find a host family who will accommodate you.
Since there is no limit to the imagination when it comes to thinking up your ideal homestay, it is best to limit your requests to a few things that you absolutely cannot live without.
If you have any food or pet allergies, or other things that you absolutely MUST avoid, definitely please let us or your host family know in advance.
Smokers
Smoking is absolutely not allowed inside the house in any of our homestays.
Some hosts also forbid any smoking on the balcony or anywhere outside around the house as well, so if you are a smoker please be sure to be careful where you smoke.
If you are someone who feels it would be difficult to follow any rules regarding smoking, please let us know in advance
People that Host Families DEFINITELY Do Not Like
The following types of people often get asked to end their homestay early and leave the house, or in the best case scenario get their request for an extension of their homestay rejected by the host family.
Illegal Drug Users
Again, something like this might sound obvious enough but it must be said: any use of illegal drugs will result in the immediate cancellation of the homestay and expulsion from the host family’s home.
Please remember that even the usage of marijuana (which was recently legalized in California) is NOT allowed in any of our homestays.
Uncooperative, Aggressive People
People who cause trouble with their roommates or host families often get asked to finish their homestay and leave.
People who also do not communicate sufficiently with their roommates or host families are also not looked upon well.
People Who Stay Out Too Late
Host families who take in guests also always want to be sure their guests are safe.
Therefore, should a guest often come home late, stay overnight somewhere else, or do other things that may cause the host family to worry, there is a possibility the host will refuse to extend the stay.
Students Who Skip School
While it may seem like just being a student is enough to gain acceptance into a homestay, the truth is hosts do not want to take in students who, for example, only go to school once a week or just go to school to keep their visa.
The reason for this is the host family will start to worry about what exactly their guest is doing while they are not at school.
Some students might say they are starting a part time job, but there is no way for any host family to really confirm this.
Summary
To sum it all up, the types of guests that get accepted most easily are students between the ages of 18-29. And guests who communicate with their host family, have good manners, and work at maintaining a good relationship are most likely to be able to continue their said relationship even after the homestay concludes.
On the other hand, the type of guests that host families do not want to accept was also discussed in this post.
Imagine that you were going to accept an international student into your home. What kind of student would you want staying in your home? With this image in mind, it becomes easy to realize what kind of guests most host families want
Should you have any other questions regarding homestays, feel free to contact us at anytime!
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