There are countless tourist attractions in Los Angeles such as an amusement park on the beach pier, shopping at Santa Monica beach, luxury brands and fine dining restaurants in Beverly Hills, and Hollywood, the home of entertainment.
There are also Disneyland and Universal Studios.
You can fully enjoy sightseeing in Los Angeles just by visiting these places, but why not take a special trip to make friends with American and experience life like a local?
Homestay is the perfect place to experience this "special trip."
We would like to introduce the merits and precautions of what a homestay looks like in the following.
Let’s get started!
Is it possible to stay in a homestay for sightseeing in Los Angeles?
When thinking of homestay, it is common for people to think that it is something that only international students do.
Some agents may provide services only to students, but please be assured that tourists can feel free to use the homestay with our company (^^) In addition to sightseeing purposes, we also have a program called Teaching Homestay. In this program, you can experience "homestay + English conversation" where you can learn English from your host family. It is also recommended for people who want to learn English one-on-one or who do not want to go to school but want to improve their English conversation skills quickly.
Click here for details on teaching homestay
Next, I will introduce the area where you can have a homestay.
Homestay Area
Most of our affiliated host families are mainly in the Los Angeles area such as Culver City, Santa Monica, and Hollywood. However, South Bay area such as Torrance, Irvine where there is a lot of greenery and relaxing time, Costa Mesa in Orange County, and the west coast such as San Diego are also available. There are affiliated hosts in other areas as well, so please feel free to contact us if you have any areas of interest.
Benefits of homestay in Los Angeles
The benefits of having a homestay are:
Cultural Exchange
There are several big events throughout the year in the United States. Thanksgiving to celebrate with traditional American dishes such as turkey and pies, Halloween to enjoy the spooky festivity in the city, and Christmas to celebrate a special day for families to gather. If you stay in a homestay at this time of year, you will be able to experience American culture that you cannot experience in Japan. In some Mexican descent host's house, handmade tacos and salsa are served, and some guests were happy to say that they were very delicious. Even if you can't go to the United States at the time of the event, you can expect cross-cultural exchange because you can eat food from a country familiar to the host.
Have the opportunity to speak English.
Many host families do not speak Japanese. Therefore, communication is inevitably English only. People who are not so confident in English may think that the hurdle is high, but you don't have to worry about it at all! Host families are accustomed to accepting international students who come to study English, and there are rather few guests who are fluent in English. Even if you can't make a sentence, you can convey your message by arranging the words. As long as you engage actively in speaking, you will have more opportunity to engage in learning English.
Making friends with Americans
Wouldn't it be nice if you could make friends not only in Japan but also in various countries? (* ^^ *)
Some people continue to stay in touch with their hosts even after their homestay and maintain a good relationship with them. In fact, the main reason host families accept guests is that they also want to have cross-cultural exchanges.
Some guests went to see their host families with their own families after they returned to Japan. Some of them longed for their hosts as their American mothers, even introduced their fiances, and created a family relationship.
I think that the circle that spreads through homestay is wonderful.
Meals are provided
At our homestay, the host will provide you with two meals, morning and dinner. The food may cost more compared in Japan as tipping is the part of the American culture and its bottleneck. One-coin lunch that are cheap and delicious like in Japan are not common. Delicious food comes at a reasonable price, and there are some cheap foods that are not as delicious… Depending on the person who wants to reduce the cost of scraping, having meals included is likely to be a strong suit.
There is also a mealless plan, so please let us know if you wish.
Costs are good depending on the length of stay
At our homestay, you can use the homestay on a daily basis.And the longer you stay, the cheaper it will be. If you are planning to stay for a long time, it will be more profitable than a hotel.
Homestay Fee in 2021
$460/1 week
$795/2 weeks
$1,280/4 weeks
* Arrangement fee will be charged * Additional charge for children under 18 years old
Hotels around Los Angeles have an average daily accommodation cost of about $100, which can range from $150 to $ 200 depending on the area and time of year. For example, if you stay in a hotel for $100 a day for a week, the accommodation fee alone is $700. Additionally, consumption tax will be added and some parking fees will be added separately. And of course, no meal is included. If there is, it would be a breakfast buffet. For a 4-week homestay, you can stay for less than half the price of a hotel.
Los Angeles Homestay Precautions
Here are some things you need to know before you do a homestay.
・Host is not a maid
・ Observe the house rules
・ Go out during the day
Do Not Have High Expectations From the Host
As for these, "if your schedule matches with the host" is a major premise, so we cannot guarantee it.
For example, if a guest wants to stay at your house, would you want to go out with them on a daily basis?
It's difficult when you think about it …
Since the host is the same and has daily life such as work, it is difficult to match 100% with your schedule.
We have heard about going to the beach with the host on the weekends or going to Hollywood, but don't expect it to be the norm.
In addition, please bear your own expenses (transportation expenses and food expenses) when you go out.
これらについては”ホストと時間があえば”が大前提となりますので確約はできません。例えばあなたのお宅に滞在したいというゲストがきたら毎日のように一緒におでかけしますか？考えてみたら難しいですよね…。ホストも同じで仕事など日々の生活がありますから100％あなたの予定に合わせるというのは大変なこと。中には週末ホストと一緒にビーチへいった、ハリウッドへ行ったとか話を聞きますが、おでかけするのが当たり前だと期待するのはやめておきましょう。またおでかけした際にかかる自分の費用（交通費や食費）は自己負担でお願いします。
Host is Not a Maid
Homestay is about living with your host family as if you were a member of the family. So don't forget that homestay is completely different from a hotel that does everything for you. Do what you can, such as cleaning your room or bathroom, doing laundry, washing dishes after meals, and cleaning up. There are rare people who take the attitude that it is natural for them to do everything because they are customers as long as they pay the cost, but if you think the same way, you cannot have a good experience with a homestay. The host is human just like you. Guests with an arrogant attitude will be treated with a similar attitude and your host will only communicate with a bare minimum. If you use a homestay where you can interact with other cultures or have the opportunity to speak English, please keep in mind to respect each other.
Observe the House Rules
Each family has house rules. Typical examples include curfew, lights out, shower time, dinner time, number of washings, and contacting the host when meals are not needed. As I mentioned above, your host family also has a life outside hosting such as going to work in the morning and sending their child to school. You may lose track of time and go over your curfew because you’re having too much fun so don’t forget to respect your host family’s schedule. Returning late at night can upset your family's rhythm of life, and above all, going out late at night is quite dangerous. The host is also responsible for guests, and protecting the family and guests from danger is also their responsibility. Therefore, please understand this house rule.
Go out during the day
Due to the coronavirus, there are many hosts who work from home. They usually go to work in the morning and leave their home empty throughout the day. Please note that for safety reasons, guests are also suggested to go out during the day. Travelers should go out for sightseeing during the day.
Summary
Our homestay allows families and friends to stay together. If you need tourist information from the host, please let us know in advance. We may be able to arrange it by adding the tour fee in addition to the homestay fee. Please feel free to contact us.
English 
日本語