The Program Basics
The Teach English in a Homestay program offers the opportunity for participants to become an English tutor for a local family while sharing their everyday life.
Participants spend approximately 15 hours per week conversing with members of the host family to improve their fluency in English. The rest of the time is yours to explore and experience the country and culture that you will call home for the next 1-3 months. As a homestay participant you get to experience full language and cultural immersion during your adventure abroad.
This is the perfect program for adults of all ages looking for a true cultural immersion experience. Are you a:
- Teacher planning to travel during your summer break or holidays?
- College student taking a semester off or planning to travel over the summer?
- Retiree looking for adventure?
- High school graduate wanting to gain world experience before starting college?
- Traveler who wants to experience full cultural immersion while teaching English abroad?
Opportunities to travel are year round!
Greenheart Travel registers you with your Embassy in your destination country. In case of a natural disaster or national safety issue, Embassy officials will contact you to make sure you’re aware of any warnings or evacuations, and they will inform you of your options to ensure your safety. That said, you should still keep the following tips in mind:
- When in larger towns and cities be weary of pick pocketing
- In restaurants or internet cafes don’t leave your bag hanging on the back of your chair
- Keep your belongings in your sight at all times
- If riding public buses long distances, keep belongings in your lap if possible
- Don’t walk alone at night, even in remote areas where crime levels are low
- Always go places with a buddy, never alone whenever possible
- Follow your instincts – if you see someone eyeing you or your bags, they are probably scheming up a plan to take them!
- Don’t drink alcohol to excess or do drugs – you will make yourself more vulnerable to crime
- Don’t drive – traffic laws and road conditions may be very different than what you’re used to and accidents often occur due to these differences
- Always exercise caution and common sense
Whether you have taught English before, or this is your first time in a homestay, we hope that the resources below will give you some creative ideas to prepare you for your program as an English tutor.
Participating in our Teach English in a Homestay program requires some planning and dedication to give your host family a positive English tutoring experience. Check out the links for fun language lessons for all ages.
Lesson Planning:
Have any more ideas for lesson plans? Tell us on Facebook!
What to Expect When You Finish the Program
Upon your return, you will need to take some time to go through an adjustment period- re-orienting yourself with your daily schedule and way of life. Often times, participants experience “reverse culture shock.” Having an eye-opening experience abroad is definitely something that will change you, and you will want to share these incredible travel stories. Sometimes the most challenging part of adjusting to life back home is not being able to express and connect with family and friends about your experiences.
You can expect to have your contact at Greenheart Travel to be in touch about a week or so after you get back (we want to give you some time to rest!) to see how your program went and how you are adjusting. We want to hear all about your experiences and help you make the transition home.
Evaluating Your Experience
We will also do a quick exit interview to evaluate your experience on the program. We always appreciate feedback from our participants to make sure we are providing the best travel program possible.
Sharing Your Stories
Want to show off your travel adventures during or after your program? We love sharing our participants’ stories, pictures and videos with our travel community, and are always looking to feature new travel writers. If you are interested in being a blogger during your program, or sharing your story and experience when you return. Don’t hesitate to contact your program manager on how you can get involved.
Stay in Touch With US!
We would love to have you stay in touch with us once your program is complete, and here are a few ways you can connect with fellow travelers:
- As a Greenheart Travel alumni, you will receive program discounts on all Greenheart Travel programs! Stay up-to-date on our latest adventures and sign up for our newsletter.
- Connect with other past, present and future volunteers via Facebook and Twitter
- Join our Ambassador team for a chance to earn a FREE volunteer program