Get to know our host families: Academic Year Abroad

Host families on our Academic Year Abroad Programme: Everything you need to know. Sometimes, one of the most important aspects of a language immersion course is accommodation with host families. In this blog post we want to clear up any doubts you may have and put you at ease about the thorough selection process of our families.

The selection process

It is our own Director here at the centre, Nathalie Tortosa, who, together with a coordinator at the destination, visits families who want to be part of our host family programme.

During this selection process we make sure that the family meets the requirements and needs of our students when they are in a foreign country. Not only in terms of having a room with everything necessary for their stay, but also in terms of cleanliness, attention, dedication and commitment to offer our students an unforgettable experience, and making them feel like one of the family.

Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about a thing as we make sure that all our families comply with the health guidelines in each destination.

Coordinators 

Before the trip starts, the coordinators at the destination communicate via video call with our Director Nathalie Tortosa, who gives them all the information regarding the students who travel with the possible families in mind with whom our students are going to stay. This first selection of families can be altered after knowing the tastes and hobbies of the young travellers, or any other relevant information that could determine the success of their stay. For this all to run smoothly, it’s very important that our Coordinator receives this prior information and: 

• Knows the sporting activities they would like to do during their stay.
• Knows how motivated they are to learn the language.
• Finds the places and activities that they are excited to visit and experience
• Knows important information about their personality and health: allergies to animals, food, or any other information required

The job of the coordinator at the destination is of vital importance, as they are the ones who introduce the students to the host families and assign one to them on the day of arrival. Who accompany them to classes, and help them to adapt, being the point of call of the students in case of any eventuality or doubt that may arise during their stay.

The coordinator acts as a bridge between everyone involved (families, teachers, students), and they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Family activities

Families are a genuine immersion in the culture of a country. It is the best way to learn the language and culture, where habits and customs are really experienced on a daily basis. It allows the students to contrast them with their own. They will get the opportunity to practise the language thoroughly, and those who do will really learn and improve, especially in vocabulary and everyday phrases. Furthermore, this will all help the students to gain a good English accent.

With the host families they will try traditional foods, learn about traditions, do joint activities which immerse them in culture, society, music, sports and education. They will feel right at home, in a relaxed environment and 100% immersed in the language.

If you want your students or your children to have a linguistic and cultural immersion experience abroad that will without a doubt help motivate them to learn English and improve their command of the language, get in touch with us here at Nathalie Language Experiences.