Become a host family

Hippo Homestay welcomes applications from homestay host families with a real interest in getting to know overseas students. You need to speak English as your first language at home and have the time and energy to help your visitors to practise their English.

You can let Hippo Homestay know whether you’d prefer to host short-term or long-term homestay students. Homestay students may stay for just one week or for one year. Longer term students, after a few months, often establish their own circle of friends and develop a regular schedule of exploring the city and the country. But students who are here for just a week or two have very limited time to discover the special aspects of Auckland.

If you’re hosting a short-term visitor, you should be prepared to take them out and show them what you can of our amazing city. You do not have to take them to expensive concerts or restaurants. A walk on the beach or a view of the city from one of our spectacular volcanic cones can be a memorable experience for an overseas visitor. Exploring the shops together is always popular. A kiwi barbecue is a sure-fire hit with almost any student.

We are happy to hear from families who:

1. Speak English at home.

2. Can spend at least 30 minutes per day talking to the student. The top priority for all of our students is improving their English language, so plenty of conversation is essential. This does not mean an intense 30-minute interview each day. You can accumulate the time in small areas of casual conversation e.g. while walking the dog or going to the shops or preparing a meal together.

3. Are 1, 2 or 3 bus stages from central Auckland. The quick way to find out is to go to the Maxx website: http://www.maxx.co.nz/index.html. Enter your home’s street address in the “From” field. Enter “Queen Street Auckland Central” in the “To” field. Press “Go”. Maxx will display a suggested route and price. If the price for an adult fare is $4.30 or less, then your home is within 3 stages of the city. International students are not prepared to travel more than 3 stages.

4. Provide a secure, well-lit, well-ventilated bedroom for the student with a desk, and with heating in the winter

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5. Have Internet connection.

6. Have a toll bar on the family’s phone. This is a simple and inexpensive arrangement. When your telephone provider adds a toll bar to your phone, they will give you a pin number so that you can continue to make cellphone and toll calls, but unauthorized people cannot.

7. Have a current household insurance policy which covers accidental damage or breakage by visitors or students.

8. Have a digital camera – or a cellphone that takes digital photos. It’s a huge relief to the families of our overseas students if we can send them a photo of their child taken on his/her first day in homestay.

So here’s the checklist: