Homestay Program

At highland, we want students to experience the full extent of living and studying in another country. To make this a reality, we offer highland Homestay. By living with a host family, students get to experience more than the just school. Host families will teach you more about their country and culture. Students get traditional home cooked meals and build a cherished bond that lasts for years. Most of our graduated students keep in contact with their host families and often return to visits years after they graduate.

 

Why chose Homestay?

 

1. Practice Language Skills

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Living with a host family is the best way to practice English outside the classroom. Conversations around the dinner table will be different from inside the classroom, because hosts use all the idioms and slang used in everyday conversations but never show up in text books. Students develop an broader and more useful vocabulary. Host families do not speak Chinese, so students have no other options but to speak English every day.

 

   2. Cultural Immersion

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By living like locals, students naturally soak up the culture without even stepping out of the house. Students observe American life and grow a better understanding of the culture.

 

   3. A Home Away From Home

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When students study abroad, they experience more than a change of address, they move from one lifestyle to another, for most, a totally different lifestyle. When students experience change and no longer have their parents and siblings close by, they crave extra support and the host family provides.

 

 

What is host family accommodation?

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Highland host family accommodation is a local family that opens their home to students from around the world. You can stay for short or long periods of time and it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. Host families come in all shapes and sizes including families with children, single parents, grandparents or empty nesters. They provide a bed, food, transportation and care during your time in the USA.

 

Are host families safe?

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We take safety seriously, which is why we have strict host family requirements in place. We carefully vet our host families, their homes and neighborhoods before and during a student’s stay. They are chosen for security, comfort and friendliness to ensure that students have the best experience possible. Many of our hosts are also associated with the student’s school- current or past families of children attending the school, teachers or administrators, coaches, etc.

 

Host Family Responsibilities

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Host families treat the student they host just as a family member.  Hosts treat the students with the consideration, concern and care they extend to the other members of their household.. 

Students are provided with the following:

1. Bedroom with study area and access to WiFi

2. Two balanced meals a day (school provides lunch)

3. Transportation to school for middle and high school students

4. Assistance with shopping, doctor visits, emergency care, etc.

 

Host Family Requirements

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Every host family is subject to a background check, an interview and a home inspection conducted by highland. Homes are located within reasonable distance from our partner schools in order to provide easy transportation for the student. 

 

Highland Responsibilities

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highland is here to support the host family and the student. highland is always available to consult, mediator and/or intervene should a situation arise. Our staff is available to assist students and host families in the adjustment process and throughout the student’s stay in the USA. We are available 24/7 for emergency assistance. highland staff mentors students and meets with them regularly to make sure they are doing well academically, socially and emotionally. Monthly progress reports are prepared to update the students’ parents.