UK 2019 LT Homestay Brochure

The EF Host Family experience www.ef.com/host

International Language Campuses

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Table of contents 03 About EF

10 Your involvement as a host

04 What is it like to host?

12 Your next steps before becoming a host

05 Why you’ll love hosting with EF

14 S ummer memories from our host family destinations

06 Our EF hosts 08 The EF student journey

About EF 3

EF Education First is the world leader in education.

Offering language and travel experiences, we allow individuals of all ages and backgrounds to explore another culture, learn another language or earn an academic degree.

Our mission EF’s mission is to open the world through education. We accomplish this daily through immersive host family programmes that promote cross-cultural exchange, language education and lifelong friendships.

Our programmes EF International Language Campuses offer students and adults the opportunity to study a language abroad, whether this is a short term course of two weeks or a Language Year Abroad course of 6, 9 or 11 months. Our students are aged 12 and older.

“ I’ve

been hosting for about thirty years!

It’s no different to having your own kids at home. One of my favourite students was from Mexico, we still FaceTime. ” Barbara Smith, Oxford

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What is it like to host?

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Our students travel with us to improve their English and to learn about your culture and way of life. There are many wonderful things that come out of hosting a student.

Cultural exchange Inviting a student into your own home allows for a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchange. Learn all about a different culture, experience new languages and introduce them to the many great aspects of your own culture.

Showcase your hometown Get ready to fall in love with your surroundings all over again. As you help your student get to know their new home, you’ll get a chance to rediscover your city and experience the excitement of it alongside them. Show them all the must-visit places and perhaps even hear about a few new ones as they familiarise themselves!

Experience of a lifetime No matter what point you are at in your life, hosting is extremely rewarding.

Whether a family of five, “empty nesters”, a retired individual or a single adult – hosting international students provides the experience of a lifetime. It’s an opportunity to make lifelong friendships, and for both grown-ups and kids to experience a new culture.

Build a global network Hosting is more enriching than just sharing your house with a student. The constant interchange will enable you to build a lasting connection. You’ll emerge from the experience with an international network of friends located all across the globe.

Why you’ll love hosting with EF 5

EF aims to break down the barriers of language, culture and geography. We are committed to providing a supportive, friendly and nurturing environment where students from diverse cultural backgrounds are able to learn English in the most effective way.

Students year-round We work hard to ensure that you don’t have long gaps between hosting students. You’ll get the opportunity to host a steady stream of students of various nationalities and ages–yearround.

My EF Host Families for Hosts is your personal hosting webpage only offered by EF, helping you to manage and enjoy your hosting experience with us. The website provides very useful information and is accessible to you at any time, online.

24-hour support Thanks to our local EF Host Family team, you’ll get support around the clock. We don’t work with agents, so our team comes directly to you and will help you with any issues that may arise.

50 years of experience As the world leader in international education, we have over 50 years of experience organizing host programmes.

We carefully match students to hosts based on both parties’ individually stated preferences.

Host community benefits and special events By partnering with us, you’ll gain access to a local community of EF hosts in your hometown. You’ll get the chance to attend community events where you can meet and share your experiences with fellow hosts. You’ll also receive an EF Community Card that gives you special discounts and deals at shops, cafés and restaurants.

Prompt weekly payments Payments are made promptly on a weekly basis and payment information is available on My EF, so you’re always fully up to date.

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Our EF hosts 6

Throughout our many years of organising Host Families experiences, countless delighted families have shared their experiences with us.

Many of them continue to host students with EF–some for years on end. We couldn’t be more proud of the families we’ve partnered with.

“ When I open the door I say welcome to my home and I give them a hug. I say to the students you can talk to me about any problems. I’m a mum away from home.”

Christine Gordon, London

“ Having students is like having an extended family. You can create a real connection with each and every one of them and learn about new cultures at the same time.”

Claire Mills, Torquay

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“ I’d say just do it! I began because of my own financial situation but now I love it! So many students keep in contact with me and they still send me messages.”

Shereen Smith, Brighton

“ At weekends we normally sit together and eat and talk after dinner, that’s when we get to know them better. It’s an open house.”

Susanne and Peter Burrows, Brighton

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The EF student journey 9

Our students travel with us to improve their English and learn about our culture.

The biggest part of this experience is their involvement in your home life. Ask them about their way of life. and compare it to yours.

The course Course leaders are responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly from the moment they meet the students in their home country, to the point they go home to their parents at the end of their trip. In addition, local leaders have knowledge of the destination and make all the arrangements locally.

What happens on weekends?

There are usually no lessons at weekends. Instead, your students will have activities like excursions or sports days. On excursion days, your student is likely to leave later, and return later in

the evening to spend time with you. If they have a sports day, it is likely they will have an evening activity too. You have to provide your student with a packed lunch during the weekend.

An EF Language Travel course includes: -- Travel to and from the course town in the UK and Ireland -- Accommodation with host families -- Classes from Monday to Friday -- Excursions -- Study materials -- A full program of leisure activities, sports and discos

Sample student timetable 09:00 - 12:00

Lessons or activities

12:00 - 13:00

Lunch (the students remain at school or activity location)

13:00 - 16:00

Activities or lessons

16:30 - 19:00

Students come home to have dinner with the host family *

19:00 - 22:00

Evening activity

*Some of this will be travelling time depending on the distance of your home to the school or activity location

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Your involvement as a host 10

We want you to have a great experience with your student and become a super successful host. In order to do this, it’s important that you take on the following responsibilities: -- Give your student a warm and friendly welcome. Perhaps help them get settled with a cup of tea and a biscuit!

-- Make sure you speak English – that’s why your student is visiting the UK or Ireland -- Put your student at ease by providing them with a clean and comfortable living space -- Provide breakfast, lunch and evening meals -- Our objective is to bring people together and remove cultural barriers — a process you can facilitate by encouraging communication with

Light Breakfast

Cereal or muesli, toast & juice, tea, coffee or hot chocolate

students. We’d be delighted if you’re able to build a good relationship with your student -- The most important thing is to look after the safety and welfare of your student at all times -- Host Families can take up to four students at one time — no more than three students can be placed in one room.

If you host with EF — and we hope you will! — we will provide more information when you get in touch with us.

Packed Lunch

Lunch should include a drink + two filled wraps/ sandwiches or a hot/cold meal + healthy snacks

Hot Evening Meal Cooked dinner + dessert

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Your next steps before becoming a host 12

1. Book a visit Call or email your local Host Family team (find our contact details at the end of this booklet).

Alternatively, fill in our online form at www.ef.com/host

3. Get approved to start hosting!

You can start hosting as soon as the correct paperwork is filed. We’ll do our very best to match students based on your requirements and start allocating students as soon as possible.

2. We’ll come over and say hello A member of our friendly team will visit you at home at a time that’s convenient for you. We’d like to get to know you, explain everything about hosting and do a brief paperwork check.

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Summer memories from our host family destinations 14 When they’re not spending time with you or their new friends, students will be at their EF summer schools – that’s why we try to make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible. Our EF summer schools are pop up schools we use in the summer. To create the EF feeling, we brand and decorate them in the EF spirit. We also pick amazing locations, so students have a great base from which to explore!

We pride ourselves on the vibrant in-school atmosphere. The EF staff and teachers are highly trained and passionate about languages, travel and culture, and we pass this on to our students.

Our destinations: United Kingdom -- London -- Oxford -- Isle of Wight -- Brighton -- Torquay -- Hastings Ireland -- Dublin -- Cork -- County Cork -- Tralee -- Killarney

EF Isle of Wight

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EF Brighton

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We can’t wait to hear from you!

Get in touch with us today.

EF International Language Campuses Brighton EF Language Travel 83a Western Road Hove, England, BN3 1JB 033 033 55 007 Hostfamily. brighton@ef.com

Ireland EF Language Travel 72-76 Morehampton Rd, Dublin, Ireland D04 KD54 +353 1611 4220 ltdublin@ef.com

Hastings EF Language Travel 17 Havelock Road TN34 1BP, Hastings 01424 434 148 efhastings@ef.com

Isle of Wight EF Language Travel Unit 2, 15 Holyrood Street PO30 5AU, Newport 01983 821 133 hostfamily. isleofwight@ef.com

London EF Language Travel 22 Chelsea Manor Street London SW3 5RL 0207 341 8711 hostfamily. london@EF.com

Oxford EF Language Travel Pullens Lane OX3 0DT 01865 759 670 lt.oxford@ef.com

www.facebook.com/EFUKHostFamilies www.youtube.com/EF www.ef.com/host

Torquay EF Language Travel EF House, Castle Road TQ1 3BG, Torquay 01803 202 902 LT.Torquay@ef.com