September 8th is National Literacy Day. Has your guest been to your local library? When was the last time you visited your local library? They may not be as dull as you remember! How about the local or national newspaper? Not all news has to be watched on TV, or listened to, on the radio. How about reading it online? The beauty of text is that it’s there, in black and white, to be questioned,

A host family homestay location is of great importance. Your homestay will be more popular, if it is located close to a university, or public transport. If not, it’s worth offering that disused bicycle, as part of your homestay arrangement. If you’re already commuting to the city by car, perhaps you could consider offering a lift into that central location? Whatever your location, consider these points in writing your host description and, tackle any potential

Homestay accommodation is unique in that, it provides familiar access to residential areas, which would possibly otherwise go undiscovered. On my local route there are many differing styles of architecture, green spaces, flora and fauna and plenty of street art. Wandering around with your guest allows them to quizz your knowledge on these topics. You might even engage in a really memorable event, such as being swooped by a magpie! Whatever the duration, a local

Whether it’s coughing into your elbow, giving up your seat for another passenger on public transport, or a wave of gratitude to a road user who voluntarily gave you right of way, participating in social etiquette makes guests feel like they are part of the community. As homestay accommodation providers, hosts have the ability to educate their guests about these unspoken rules, which will greatly enhance the way others engage with them. Sometimes guests are

Aussies love to get outside, we’re famous for our BBQ’s. By the way, we call them prawns, not shrimp! We enjoy long days in summer, the sun rises early and sets late. We further extend our days by observing daylight savings in all states except WA, NT and QLD. Typically the weekend is 2 full consecutive days, Saturday and Sunday. Shopping centres, supermarkets, parks, beaches, leisure centres, markets, museums, zoos, restaurants, cafes, sporting arenas, and

At dinner last night I was infuriated when my guest told me of the inappropriate conduct the car service driver had provided. During the course of her trip, he put pressure on her to become his ‘friend’. Clearly this chap has been using his position of power, as the driver of the vehicle, to exploit individuals. My guest was both intimidated and concerned for her safety. Our lengthy conversation journeyed through everything from women’s rights

Today is a day to spark conversation of interest to host family homestay providers and homestay accommodation seekers alike. It is the UN commemorated International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries. Speaking the majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and representing 5,000 different cultures. Hosts and Guests alike are naturally inquisitive about other cultures, which leads them to travel

We’ve just welcomed a new host student, Ellen, into our host family homestay. Upon arriving in the morning, she asked if we had anything planned for the day. I admit, I kinda freaked out, I immediately thought I should have planned something! Then I remembered, guests often find magic in the mundane. The kids needed some stuff from Kmart, so we headed off to the local shopping centre. Here I pointed out recognisable brands such

Host family homestay providers are a wealth of information and support when it comes to local public transport. Guests can easily become overwhelmed by feelings of confusion, embarrassment and frustration in attempting to decode and navigate the system. In our homestay accommodation we often provide our guests with a map and brochure, obtained from the local train station free of charge. Some are more capable than others and, with this brief introduction are able to

It’s inevitable when providing homestay accommodation, taking an extra person into your home, that your housework will increase marginally. Don’t let this put you off, just employ some, or all of the below tricks I use, to absorb it! 1/Consider being a ‘shoes off’ host family homestay. Lots of wet dirt and stuff gets stuck to the soles of those shoes then walked around your whole house! Going shoes off makes a HUGE difference to

One thing I really enjoy about our host family homestay experience is celebrations. This week we celebrate our guest Ghala’s birthday. This event might otherwise go unnoticed if she weren’t in homestay accommodation. I don’t make a big deal out of it and, it doesn’t cost a lot of time or money. It’s just so easy to grab a supermarket cake and pop (pardon the pun) into the local party shop for some balloons. I

When hosting an international Guest your children will also benefit from the host family homestay experience. Homestay accommodation provides children in the family, with valuable exposure to other countries, cultures and languages. They build on their communication skills through natural enquiry and conversation. Hosting can assist in developing children’s patience and resilience, while enhancing social understanding, and acceptance. Life skills they acquire can be advantageous to them in all environments.

In a house share arrangement every member of the house does their own cooking and cleaning. Often homestay Guests, who have experienced a house share, say the house is dirty or it’s difficult to use the kitchen. In a homestay arrangement the Host does all the cooking and cleaning. Guests are often willing to assist and become involved, especially with cooking, as it is a great learning opportunity for them. However, the role is that

As a host family homestay provider of about 13 years, we’ve learnt that it’s far simpler than a lot of people expect. Essentially, all you’re doing, is adding an extra place setting to the dinner table and, including another person in the conversation. That’s it in the simplest form, obviously ground rules need to be laid for your guests. Perhaps there are times in the evening that you need quiet or, the duration of their