European Discovery Homestay Information

Home stays are once cornerstone of People to People programs. Home stays fulfill the People to People mission to bridge cultural an political borders through education and exchange, making the world a better place fr future generations. The home stay visit is arranged by a local school in Austria, Germany, or Switzerland with families of the students attending the school.

Students should be prepared for an occasional expense during the home stay for extracurricular activities with their home stay families.

Basics:

• Three-night home stay
• Leaders will predominantly be in home stays during this period (usually with teachers from the school)
• Families primarily speak German; English is a secondary language and may only be spoken by the European student(s) in the home.
• An on-site coordinator is available at all times to assist with any emergencies or challenges that may arise during the home stay.
• People to People students are not paired in home stays on this program, but stay in homes with European students of approximately the same age.
• The Legal drinking age in Europe is 16. European students over 16 may legally drink alcohol, but have been instructed not to offer or provide it to any People to People delegates.
• Families may smoke, but students with smoke allergies or asthma indicated on their health form will be placed in a non-smoking home.

Activities With Host Families

• Meals (three per day)
• Activities with the home stay family and the school.

Suggested Gifts for Home Stay Families (It is suggested, but not required, that delegates and leaders bring one of the following:

• Picture of yourself with your family, home, or school, at a sporting event, etc.
• Handwritten thank-you note
• Postcard from your hometown
• Something that represents your city or state
• Something that represents you
  

Posted 5.9.2011
New information on our home stay in Austria.