We are sure that you will find your Auckland homestay an enjoyable experience.
It is a great way to enjoy the New Zealand lifestyle and practise your English skills outside school hours. To help things go more smoothly, Hippo Homestay's Co-ordinators have come up with a short list of house rules and courtesies that we would appreciate you follow while staying in homestay. Please discuss these homestay guidelines with your homestay host family so that everybody knows the rules!
1. Cleaning:
For New Zealanders, helping with the chores is something everyone in the house usually does. Please keep your room tidy and help out with the household chores when you are in homestay. It would be a good idea to do the dishes a few nights each week, or help with the washing. This will help make you a popular member of the household!
2. Confidentiality:
Please do not disclose information regarding your homestay family’s private or business affairs.
The homestay student/visitor and/or that person's agent agrees:
(a) That the length of the homestay period is the number of weeks and days originally requested. The homestayer and his/her agent will not attempt to negotiate any extension with the host family, but will make any such request to Hippo Homestay Ltd.
(b) That the homestayer and his/her agent will not attempt to negotiate any additional placement with the homestay host family for this or any other student.
(c) That the homestay family's contact details will remain confidential and not be communicated to any other party.
The homestay host family agrees:
(a) That the length of the homestay period is the number of weeks and days originally requested. The homestay host family will not attempt to negotiate any extension with the student and/or his/her agent but will make any such request to Hippo Homestay Ltd.
(b) That the homestay host family will not attempt to negotiate any additional homestay placement with this homestayer/ student or with his/her agent, but will continue to use the systems of Hippo Homestay Ltd.
(c) That the homestayer or student's contact details will remain confidential and not be communicated to any other party.
3. Curfew:
If you are under 18, you must be home no later than 8pm from Sunday to Thursday and 12am Friday and Saturday. Please contact your homestay family if you are not going to be home for any reason. If you are over 18, you are allowed to stay out as late as you wish. However, you must still let your homestay family know when to expect you home. Please be careful not to disturb anyone in the house when you return.
4. Damages/breakages:
If you break or damage something, these things should be covered by household insurances. You must have your own medical insurance.
5. Guests:
Again, we ask that you respect your homestay family’s wishes regarding guests. In most cases, if you have friends they would normally be welcome to visit briefly. If you wish them to stay the night or stay for a meal, please talk to your homestay family first and ask their permission. Do not be offended if your homestay family sometimes says no—it may just be an inconvenient time for them.
6. Hygiene:
Please maintain a high standard of personal grooming and cleanliness.
7. Internet use:
If you wish to use the internet regularly, please talk to your homestay family about this. You may need to pay for your internet use or arrange to have your own phone line installed (this will cost a small fee each month.) Please ask your homestay family or your Homestay Co-ordinator for help with this.
8. Meals:
Your homestay family will provide you with breakfast and dinner Monday to Friday and 3 meals at weekends. You should buy your own lunch. Some families will provide you with the ingredients to make your own packed lunch. Please check with your homestay family to see if this is ok. Your homestay family would really like you to join them for dinner each evening. If you are not able to make it, you should always call your homestay family and let them know. Also, please remember to tell your homestay family if there are any foods you do not like. They will not be offended and would much rather know what your likes and dislikes are! Perhaps you could list the foods you can’t eat: ______________________________________
9. Extra food:
Your homestay family will be happier if you respect their wishes and (homestay families please tick your preference) o
- help yourself to anything you feel like whenever you wish
- please always ask first before taking any food
- help yourself to anything in a particular cupboard.
10. Money:
Please do not borrow money. You should bring enough money to last for your visit.
11. Overnight stays:
If you wish to spend a night away from your homestay family, you must ask permission from both your Hippo Homestay Counsellor and your homestay family.
12. Shower times:
As you will be sharing the bathroom with other household members, and as hot water is both costly and sometimes low in supply, we would appreciate it if you could keep your showers to a maximum of ___________ minutes duration.
13. Smoking:
Your homestay family would appreciate it if you could respect them by smoking (homestay families please tick one)
- not at all
-
outside only
- in an area that your homestay family will show you
14. Telephone calls:
If you wish to make local phone calls, you are welcome to use your homestay family’s telephone. Please keep the phone calls short. The maximum time for a phone call is 10 minutes. If you wish to call overseas or a mobile phone, please use a prepaid or credit calling phone card.
15. Changing/leaving homestay early:
If you wish to either change homestay, or leave earlier than planned, you must give your host family and the school 3 weeks notice and fill in a “request to leave / change homestay” form. And see the homestay co-ordinator.
Following the homestay guidelines we have set will help to make your Auckland homestay experience enjoyable for everyone. Remember, if you have any questions at any time, you are always welcome to ask either your host family or your Hippo Homestay Counsellor.
We have read and agreed to all of the above conditions.
Name:
Company (for Agencies):
Address:
Today's date:
Signature:
![Thank you, Hippo Homestay! You give me the greatest opportunity to have new life experience in New Zealand. My homestay mother treats me as her another daughter: takes me shopping, gym, walking after dinner. I feel so comfortable here. My room is in upstairs with big windows, sunny, fantastic view of the park.
I can tell you funny story: we have a cat: she is really gorgeous with white fur. My homestay mother turns on a heater for her when old cat is going to sleep. She is a real "Queen" of our family.](/account/images/quote.img?version=1"e.text=_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_&author.text=S.Y.S.-+Korea&begin.fill.color=8A9393"e.fill.color=152827&begin.font.size=150"e.font.size=18"e.text.wrappingwidth=230&stage.width.max=230&pid=1219037099536)
