Student Guidelines

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Homestay Guidelines for Students

We at HPS, Inc. want students and host families to have a beneficial experience. These guidelines have been developed through years of experience. These guidelines will help you have a wonderful HomeStay experience.
 

  1. Your host family will supply you with fresh sheets & towels once a week. Please discuss with your host family the procedures for doing your personal laundry.
  2. You should keep your room and bathroom clean and orderly. Please dry the bathroom counter with paper towels if it is wet after your daily preparations.
  3. Your personal TOILETRIES (toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, hair care supplies, etc.) may be kept neatly in the bathroom. You must buy your own soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.
  4. Your host will clean the bathroom once each week. Please, do not flush feminine sanitary items down the toilet.
  5. If your host does not permit SMOKING in the house, ask before you smoke outside. Some hosts do not permit smoking inside or outside their home.
  6. Ask your host before taking ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES into the home. Some hosts request that students do not drink alcoholic beverages, or only with the family in social situations.
  7. If you wish to play LOUD MUSIC in your room, please use earphones or a head set.
  8. Please check with your family and establish times when the TELEVISION may be turned on and when is should be turned off at night.
  9. When you wish to INVITE A FRIEND to visit, tell your host first. Do not bring a friend home for dinner without permission of your host family.
  10. PLEASE DO NOT ASK A FIREND OF THE OPPOSITE SEX TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN YOUR ROOM. If you have a friend visiting after supper, please make sure your friend leaves no later than 10:00 or 11:00 pm. (ask your HomeStay family).
  11. PLEASE CONSERVE UTILITIES. Utilities are very expensive in California; therefore lights and fans SHOULD BE TURNED OFF when not in use. Showers should be between 10-15 minutes, and no more than one a day.
  12. Students may use a phone in the following way: 
    • Purchase a pre-paid phone card. These are available at many different stores,
    • Purchase your own cell phone,
    • Phone collect to your country. 
  13. ALWAYS notify your host family one day before or at least early on the same day, if you will not be home for dinner.
  14. When you LEAVE THE HOME, your host should know the approximate time of your RETURN. If you wish to leave for the weekend, please inform your host.
  15. Please give your host as much notice as you can (2 weeks) if you wish to move out.
  16. Due to most Americans’ busy schedules, you will prepare your own breakfast most days of the week.
  17. ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR, i.e. profanity, damage to household items, etc. toward the host family causing them to be extremely upset or causing them extra unnecessary expense may result in immediate termination of your HomeStay with part or the entire unused portion of your HomeStay funds withheld. All problems will try to be resolved before termination occurs.
  18. Most HomeStays are not near the schools, but the homes where students are placed are located in safe areas. Student placements are not more than 45 minutes away by Public
  19. Transportation depending on transportation service available. Of course, it would be less time by car.
  20. HomeStay begins the first night you move your things into your Host’s Home and ends the day you move out with your belongings. It is acceptable for students to move into their HomeStay between 10am & 9pm. The time to move out of your HomeStay is considered by 12:00 noon, unless you make other arrangements with your HomeStay family.
  21. While you are in a HomeStay and you choose to go away for the weekend, or longer period, you do not get a refund for the time you were away because your room is being held for you.
  22. Money paid to HPSI for HomeStay includes room, breakfast, and dinner. It does not include food taken from the home. For YOUR own use, students can purchase snacks, sodas, desserts, etc. from a store. Ask your host family if you can use a part of the refrigerator for your personal sodas and snacks.
  23. If you should discover a conflict or problem between you and your host family, try to talk with them about it. If you have a problem understanding, ask your host family to repeat, rephrase, or speak more SLOWLY. Should you need further help, call HPSI at 619-423-1449.
  24. STUDENTS, who are in HomeStays to learn ENGLISH must speak ENGLISH in your host family’s home at all times except for personal phone calls from friend and family.