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I am having trouble completing the on-line application, what should I do? Contact us with your questions by sending us an email to info@homestay-usa.com Does the price of the homestay package include air fare? No. You must purchase your own airplane tickets. But we can help you get a discount fare. How do I get a VISA for my homestay package? For our English Intensive Program, which only lasts 28 days, you should be applying for a "Vacation & Sightseeing Visa." For more information about how to apply for a Visa click here: Visa Information. Can I change the dates of my arrival and departure to the USA? Yes. We can change the date by a day at the beginning and the end of your stay by a day if needed. Some people have difficulty getting a plane ticket for the exact dates of our homestays, so we try to be flexible. Let us know your needs. Sometimes we can book a special package for you with the dates that you need! Why is this homestay program better than other homestay programs? First of all, when you arrive at the airport, we will be there to greet you, and we will drive you in our car back to our home. You do not have to worry about finding transportation. In our homestay program, we make sure you are taken care of ALL of the time. Students in other homestay programs often report that their host families have full-time jobs or other commitments and that the host family members are often missing at dinner time or are often not at home. But in our homestay program, YOU are our full-time job! When you stay at our home with us, we devote 100% of our time to making sure you are having fun, that you are learning English, and that you are comfortable and safe. You are No.1 with us, and we are available to you around the clock if you need us! In our program you will live under the same roof with your teacher, William, and his wife, Kayoko, and therefore you will be learning English every waking moment, not just when you are in class. We invite you to live with us and share our home with us and to dine with us at almost every meal. We provide you with more security and better communication than other homestay programs. Kayoko speaks English and Japanese fluently. William speaks some French and some Spanish and has traveled throughout Europe, so Latin based languages and European culture are not foreign to him. Our program includes not only a bedroom in our house (not a dorm!), but also includes all of your meals; and our meals are home cooked most of the time! We also take you out to dinner at a nice restaurant at least once during your stay with us, at no extra cost to you! We offer you free laundry facilities, a computer, TV, stereo, and the use of our telephone too! Our activity program is also better than any other homestay program. We take pride in offering you fun and educational activities. Most of the time, we will be driving you and accompanying you on your activity. It is like a family outing. Many of our activities, which you get to choose, are included in the cost of your homestay package. What is more, you have many activities from which to choose! Soon after you arrive, during the orientation part of your homestay, you can choose which activities you would like to do, and which meals you would like to eat! Our homestay program is simply more personal and more responsive to your needs than other programs. We provide you with more security and more personal attention. We also like to think that you will probably learn more English and will have more fun with our program. Our program is simply the best homestay program available in the USA. When do I need to pay for my homestay? You need to have your package paid for in full at least 14 days prior to your homestay. Can I reserve a particular date for my homestay? Yes. To reserve your package for a particular date, a deposit of $500 US Dollars is required. We cannot reserve any dates until we have received your deposit into our bank account in the USA. We accept deposits by wire transfer and VISA and MasterCard. If I have to cancel my homestay, is my deposit refundable? If you cancel 60 days before your homestay, 100% of your deposit is refundable. If you cancel 30 days before your homestay, 50% of your deposit is refundable. If you cancel 14 days before your homestay, 25% of your deposit is refundable. If you cancel less than 14 days before your homestay, your deposit is NOT refundable. Do you take credit cards? Yes. We accept VISA and Mastercard, payable through PayPal. We will invoice you, but you need an email account to use this option. Or you can pay in cash by wire transfer. What about Health Insurance? You are required to show proof of health insurance before you depart from your home country. You can purchase a good insurance policy at the airport before your departure which will cover you while you are in the USA. There are also several travel insurance packages available on the internet. We can help you get a short term policy. It's easy! Just ask us. Can I arrange to do my homestay with my friend or a family member? Yes! We encourage you to find someone you already know who you can share your homestay experience with. Just let us know in the Comments section of the Application Form and have your friend or family member also apply at about the same time. Will I have my own bedroom? Yes. You will have your own furnished bedroom, with a new bed and chest of drawers. Your bedroom is private. You will share a bathroom with one other student. Kayoko and I have our own bathroom. How many students will there be in my homestay program and in my class? We only accept two students at a time. So there is only one other person in your program, and only one other person in your class. You will share your classroom and your experience with only one other student. Often times, students who share their homestay experience become life-long friends! Each student always has their own private bedroom. |