Becoming an English Holiday Homestay Host
Being an English holiday Homestay Host is not for everyone, but for a certain type of person, it can be hugely rewarding.
This blog explores what kind of personality you need to enjoy opening your home to a stranger, and gives you 7 benefits of becoming a Blue Noun Language Hub Homestay Host.
Find out if English holiday homestay hosting for adults is for you with my ultra quick personality check.
By the way, this blog is illustrated with pictures from our current homestay host, to give you an idea of our standards (high).
It’s Got to Feel Like a Holiday!
At Blue Noun Language Hub we invite people in our local community to house our English-language holiday guests.
When designing our business, we opted not to go down the language holiday homestay route ourselves.
Personally, we thought it a bit intensive to be working on your English skills all day to then spend the evening with your teacher (😱).
As they say – a change is as good as a rest.
Instead, we match our learners with great, comfy local homes.
As well as having new people to practice social English skills with, they have someone else to check they are feeling good on their holiday.
In other words, someone who cares.
Become an English Holiday Homestay Host
Our language school is looking for homestay hosts for the 2024 season (April – October).
⭐ You need a comfy, clean home with a spare bedroom
⭐ You need to care about helping people on a mission.
🔑 You don’t need to commit to being available all summer
🔑 You DON’T need to register with the government UK Short-Term Let Register (travel for education purposes is exempt).
🔑 You DON’T need to provide cooked meals (just access to your kitchen).
We do pay our English holiday Homestay Hosts, but we need you to be in it for the spirit, not just the money.
Take the Homestay Test
To be a great homestay host, you need to have the heart of a traveller.
Although we chose not to host our clients, I have done it. I have been a Couchsurfing host for a number of years.
In case you don’t know, Couchsurfing is a non-financial platform which exchanges travellers who need accommodation and hosts who would genuinely enjoy helping them. (Couchsurfing is not just sofas! On the website you describe just what kind accommodation you have to offer, and there’s everything from castles to yurts).
If you are thinking Couchsurfing is a great idea – read on further…
However, if you are thinking Couchsurfing sounds like utter madness, then being a homestay host is just not for you.
That’s the Homestay Host Test! It’s really that simple, did you pass?
Let’s get to the 7 Benefits of Being our English Holiday Homestay Host.
#01 Travel Without Leaving Your Home
When you invite an international guest into your home, they bring their culture with them.
It’s an opportunity for you and your family to learn about new places, customs, and beliefs.
The top 5 reasons to travel on Google (this week) are to:
- Challenge yourself. …
- Learn new things. …
- Understand yourself. …
- Build quality relationships.
You’ll notice that these are also all experiences a homestay guest brings right into your home.
#02 | Make New Connections in Your Hometown
Our ‘hub’ is more than just a trendy name. It’s a community and we exist to bring people together to talk.
Blue Noun Language Hub hosts art classes, parties, celebrations one-off workshops and events.
Become a Blue Noun Homestay Host and you will be an honoured guest.
#03 | Help Someone with Their Mission
Our English learners are independent professionals on a mission to improve their English.
We are obvious about our business values, so we attract good ethical people as clients.
These are people who are on a mission that you want to support.
#04 | Refresh Your Vision
Do you find yourself driving on autopilot through our spectacular landscape? Are you still seeing your hometown with wonder?
Sharing your home with an international guest will give you a fresh perspective on your environment, new best habits – and most likely a new enthusiasm for your local town too.
#05 | Highland Hospitality
Highland Hospitality isn’t just something made up by the Scottish Tourist Board.
There’s something in our very nature that loves making strangers feel welcome.
What makes Perthshire The Friendliest Place on Earth?
It’s almost guaranteed that my English learners will have positive interactions in the local community.
#06 | It’s Paid
Everyone helping us on our business journey gets paid – whether it’s a photographer friend taking pictures of our building – or an artist taking time to show our English learners their work.
We believe in alternative economies (it’s why I love Couchsurfing), so we might trade some guest teaching in exchange for the use of our building from time to time, but essentially, we believe that skills and talents always have value.
English holiday Homestay Hosts have got to be perfect holidays for our clients and a fair payment (and the reward of a reliable income) helps guarantee this.
Our clients pay £180 per week for their Homestay accommodation.
Although we arrange it and administer it – we charge no commission.
It’s all yours!
#07 | Make Friends for Life
I stay in touch with all our past English learners – and you can too.
Homestay hosting creates a special, familial bond. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about you visiting our clients all around the world in future (or your kids being their penpal).
Remember to send us a postcard!
Further Information
Read our illustrated guide and see: How Homestay Hosts Help People Learn English
I’m retiring in March and with previous positive experience of au-pairs and my fiends home stays who come along for our game nights I think this would be just great and look forward to hearing from you
Hi Susan, I’m glad you are interested. I’m emailing you for more details just now. Check your inbox/junk folder – Ruth