1. Why do international students go to English speaking countries?
Simply put these students go to Canada, the United States, England, Australia!and other English Speaking countries to learn the English language. Being immersed in the language accelerates the learning curve and provides a level of understanding that can't be gained from taking courses in their home countries.
There is also a growing number of international students that are looking to take advantage of the High School, College and University courses available in English speaking countries. These students often have a good command of the English language and are looking to benefit from an education not available in their native countries.
2. Who are these students?
The majority of the students fall between the ages of 17 and 30 years of age and are equal male and female. The younger students have generally graduated high school and are either entering or enrolled in University. They've come to an English speaking country to learn the language to further their University education and get a better career once they graduate. Older students (25 years +) generally come to learn English for their current job or to improve their future prospects.
As mentioned previously there is an increasing group of students aged 14 to 17 which are getting a high school education.
3. What is a host family or home-stay family?
All these students need a place to eat, sleep, study, relax... Basically they need a place to live while they are learnin. The current model, which the majority of students use, is to stay with a host family otherwise known as home-stay. As a home stay family it is your responsibility to feed the students provide them with a nicely furnished room and engage them in conversation to help their learning progress. The best home-stay families treat students like members of their own family (or better) and for minors you should watch out for them like they are your own children (their parents will appreciate it).
4. What's in it for the host family?
Host families receive a monthly payment from the school or placement agency, truthfully this is the initial reason people get into hosting international students. The best host families soon learn that there is so much more to the experience than cash. There is the opportunity to learn about different cultures, world views and most importantly cuisine! There are the lifelong friendships that are made and nurtured. There is the satisfaction of knowing that you helped another human being better themselves and their station in life. There is also the pride in knowing you are looking after students like they are your own family and the gratitude you get from their family back home.
5. It's not all sunshine and happiness!
Despite the overwhelming benefits there are plenty sore points as well. I'll cover the various "issues" that can arise in a later post.