20 things you ought to know about host families

While clearing out my emails this morning, I found this. I wrote it to myself back in November and promptly forgot about it!

1 Host families are generally not classed as 'normal'. They open their house to a foreigner, whats more, often to a person from another country they haven't ever heard of, let alone can pin point on a map and usually they haven't met or spoken to this 'foreign' person before they arrive on the doorstep complete with portable meals (in case they have to eat spinach every day).

2 Host families don't, (contrary to popular myth) only serve baked beans on white toast as a main meal. Some specialise in large quantities of home cooked, gorgeously presented food. Few host families serve boiled spinach every night as is the terror of many French boys.

3 Host families are not all single, poor or desperate. Many offer a beautiful home in a wonderful location. Some even offer an en-suite and posh soap.

4 Host families do not classify a single level of xxxxxxxx. Income, careers, mental stability, location and status all vary immensely. You cannot pigeon hole a host family.

5 Host families have fun. Yes they do. Occasionally at the expense of the student but usually with the student. Working out what a foreign student means when he or she cannot speak English and has a sore throat, hungry or has a 'time of the month' can be interesting, and entertaining.

6 Host families have a sense of humour. Host families need a sense of humour on occasion. Faced with a bathroom which has just entertained a student washing his hair while standing outside of the bath, (and host noticing this because water is coming from the light in the hall ceiling), a host family is well placed to be able to make use of a robust sense of humour.

7 Host families are loving and giving. No two students are the same; one month you will have a student who eats so little and is so thin you fear they might fall down dead at any moment. The following month you will be entertained with the same sized student who puts away a whole lasagne before your family gets to it, and then clears the carrots, greens and almost everything else going before declaring they are still hungry and "what is for pudding". A true host will just smile lovingly and tell the rest of the family to eat the rice he/she didn't eat.

To be continued......!