A Host of Opportunities: Homestay Accommodations

Remember the first time you spent the night at your best friend’s house? How weird the family was? How the younger brother kept giving you dirty looks? You entered a world of different rules, different habits, and different preferences. And what was that stuff they tried to pass off as dinner?

Now imagine living with a family like that in a foreign country where the culture and language is different from your own. You’re getting closer to picturing what it’s like in a homestay setting.

But don’t let that scare you. If you are willing to handle the challenge of communication and cultural differences, living in a homestay offers you the opportunity to forge beautiful friendships and understand your host country and city inside out.

Homestay accommodations offer a private single room in an apartment or house shared with a family, couple, or older person.

If the differences between your family and another family at home can be drastic sometimes, recognize that the differences are multiplied when the families are in different countries.

Your homestay hosts may live in a culture with extremely different views on politeness and socially acceptable behavior. Do your best to study these views before you get there, but there will always be some things you just have to learn firsthand. Your homestay hosts know this, and they will be willing to break from their customs if you need help. Even in cultures that typically find directness rude, your need for understanding and help from your hosts trumps this, and they know it. So it is okay to speak up and be direct, especially when you first arrive and need some time to adjust. Tell your hosts if you don’t like a certain food or don’t understand something. However, try to fit in and follow the customs more the longer you are there. Your hosts will appreciate your effort and respect for their culture.

Take the time to get to know your hosts—what they like and dislike, their thoughts, their hopes, even their prejudices. See how they compare to your preconceived notions of the culture. Also observe other people who cross your path and see how your hosts compare to them. You may never have a better opportunity for cultural understanding.

Finally, try to take advantage of your hosts’ knowledge when it comes to travel and tourism. They are likely going to be much more helpful than the mass-media travel guides. While you don’t want to annoy your hosts (they are normal people, not travel agents or a concierge service), they should be able to show you attractions that go beyond the big tourist traps and take you to some lesser-known treasures. Combine this with the possibility for making life-long friends and a point of contact for any return trips, and you’ll find that you’ve come away with yet another “edge in life.”

Strangers With Candy

From the time we’re children, “safety first” has been beaten into our brains by the likes of Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers (am I showing my age??) and kindergarten teachers everywhere. And though many things we learn as children may have been long forgotten, safety is something we all still need to be mindful of, regardless of our ages. Obviously, I am by no means suggesting that your internship abroad should be the ideal time to develop agoraphobia, but at the same time it would not be wise to throw all caution to the wind either. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of new surroundings, meeting new people, etc. and you should make the most of your time abroad, but striking the right balance of fun and common sense can help to ensure that your trip is one of the most memorable experiences you’ll ever have- without the scars of an unpleasant experience that you can’t forget.

Following are a few things to bear in mind while travelling (and many are applicable to everyday outings in your home city as well):


-Don’t Show Me The Money!-

Pretend for a moment that you’re a petty thief and you’re looking for your next target. Of the following 3 people, who do you think would catch your eye?: a) the drunk 20 year old American guy at the bar making the most of the ‘while in Rome’ concept, waving a wad of cash in the air and declaring his intent to buy a round for all his new mates, b) the fashionista diva dressed to the nines with her ever-so-fashionable mega-handbag that’s so big it could probably double as a hammock if she needed a place to crash that night, or c) the guy in the baggy jeans with the 2 inch thick wallet bulging in his back pocket. Actually, I think my money would be on all 3! The name of the game here is to CONCEAL. Thin out your wallet, bring a smaller purse; only bring what’s absolutely necessary for that outing and keep it in an inconspicuous pocket, etc… don’t advertise the fact that you’ve got something that an undesirable character might want. Ladies: if you must carry a purse and you’re walking with others, it’s a good idea to hang your purse on the shoulder closest to your companion, making it more difficult for a grab-and-run thief to steal your goods.

-Strangers With Candy-

(Or the adult equivalent of candy- ALCOHOL) Don’t accept drinks from strangers unless you’ve witnessed the bartender pour the drink and certainly don’t leave it unattended while making a run to the loo!

-No Man Left Behind-

I know you may think you just met Mr Right and you really don’t want the night to end, but when your friends are ready to leave, IT’S TIME TO GO. Anyone can be anything you want them to be over a 6 hour span of time and your judgment is probably not going to be spot-on while looking through the bottom of a pint glass. Bottom line: Don’t leave the pack… the old ‘safety in numbers’ rule still applies. I know, I know… you’re an adult and you can look after yourself, but humor your friend(s); don’t make them worry about you when you don’t return to your flat. If Mr Right is truly right, he will understand and make time for you at a later date. And if you’re the friend leaving, don’t take no for an answer. The evening of resentment you may endure from your friend is much better than the next-day regrets you may have to face.

-A (Drunken) Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted-

It’s easy to misjudge that fine line between cutting loose a little and overindulging. If you know you’re going to step over that line, make sure you have a reliable wingman who can be your voice of reason and do a bit of chaperoning that night. But be a good friend and be sure to repay the favor!


These are just a few little things that can help to ensure a pleasant adventure. For more safety tips, please visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html (note in particular, the “Precautions to Take While Travelling” section).

(Safe and) happy travels to you!

PARENT PERSPECTIVES: Volume 1

Brian and Lauren know they will always get a good conversation started when people find out they sent not one, but both of their children abroad. Everyone wants to hear the details of their travel experiences. These veteran school teachers from northern Indiana in the US are the proud parents of two recent college graduates. Their youngest, Brett, recently finished a semester abroad at the exclusive Sophia University in Tokyo, while their eldest, Bree, recently completed an international internship at the British Museum through Global Experiences.

“It took us some time to warm up to the idea of sending our daughter,” says Lauren. “She did a lot of research and was provided with great support from Global Experiences.”

What was your biggest concern sending your children abroad?
Brian: Safety. I wanted to know where they would be located and who they would be living with.
Lauren: I didn’t want my daughter acting as the office “coffee gopher.”

Were you happy with the placement that Global Experiences provided for your daughter?
Brian: Bree and Brett's grandparents are originally from Europe. I was very excited to send our oldest daughter to a place that was very important to her heritage. Internships gave them an experience that they wouldn’t get in college. They make your resume stand out against other students.

Lauren: It was eight weeks well spent! Bree needed a customized placement that would provide her with the tools necessary to excel in her career field. She carries the reputation of the British Museum with her wherever she plans to work.

From an educator’s perspective, do you think an international internship is valuable to an individual’s academic experience?
Brian: I feel that it should be mandatory that students participate in an international internship. Good grades do not necessarily give you the tools you need to be able to work with people in the real world.

Lauren: An international internship gives them personal and hands-on professional experiences. Also, a professional internship can be a great way for students to figure out if they would even like their career field. As an elementary teacher, I see the pressure that is put on children at a young age to succeed. Many students go through college never finding what they truly love to do.

Do you feel that your daughter’s Global Experiences internship gave her more confidence in her abilities?
Brian: As a parent of a daughter with hearing and visual disabilities, I am aware of the many physical and emotional obstacles students face each day. Bree has always been a confident person, but her internship opened up so many new doors for her and strengthened her resolve to create new career goals.

An international internship connects you to the world in ways no other experience can. “While I can understand students wanting to be compensated for their labor, I think an internship is the perfect way to give back to the community," says Brian.

Are you a parent sending your son or daughter abroad? These experienced parents have been there and offer you some advice:

• Make sure that you have done your research on the company that places your child
• It is a good idea to look for companies that specialize in international internships
rather than study abroad or Au Pair programs
• Know where your son or daughter is staying
• Give your son or daughter the room to gain independence
• Visit them in their host country

Do you think the international experience helped your son and daughter get a job?
Brian: Definitely. My daughter’s international experience gave her the confidence to take a different career path and my son is currently working as an interpreter for the largest auto parts provider in Japan.

MOBILE EXPERIENCES

It is my firm belief that there are no straight roads in London, England. As a Global Experiences Intern, I walked the winding pavement of this glorious modern metropolis to my office at the British Museum everyday for nearly two months. Living in a circular city encourages you to find constants in your surroundings; the sixty-something spiced nut vendor in Russell Square, the monotone “Mind the Gap” announcement of the Underground train doors, and the lively Indian wedding music following you home on a Saturday afternoon.

Without even thinking about it, we insist on being creatures of habit, even as travelers. Researchers from the United Kingdom are tapping into one of the biggest constants in our lives: hello moto!

The whereabouts of more than 100,000 mobile phone users have been tracked in an attempt to build a comprehensive picture of human movements. Each time a participant made or received a call or text message, the location of the mobile base station relaying the data was recorded. According to Jonathan Fildes, reporter for the BBC News, this study concludes that humans are creatures of habit, mostly visiting the same few spots time and time again.

My advice to future interns: plug in but don’t tune out! Having your cell on hand can be a great travel resource, but it can also create a wall between yourself, potential connections, and independence. Here are some quick tips that helped me work wirelessly and wall-free:

• Use your laptop to purchase bus, train, or ferry tickets online. Ticket information can be sent to your cell phone. This makes drivers happy and gives you one less paper to carry around.
• Instead of calling the same number (mom and dad) each day, set a goal to get one new email or phone number each week. Okay, now I don’t mean a date, guys. I met all sorts of people by walking around college campuses, going to free community dance lessons, sitting near families in the airport, and talking with people on the train. Common interests can lead to job connections and more trips abroad!
• Wear a watch! So many of us keep our cell phones handy just to keep track of time. Stowing your phone away in a closed bag when walking the busy streets not only protects you from pick-pockets and running thieves, but it also encourages you to stay glued to your travel guide, not your Bluetooth.
• Fill that mobile with as many co-workers from your internship site as possible. Everyone needs a network of support, especially when you are hundreds of miles from everything you know. One call led to three hours cut from my travel time to Wimbledon!

It takes a lot of courage to let go of the familiar winding path of life and branch off into unknown territory. Be a creature of new habits and keep an open mind. Start by visiting the Global Experiences website for more information about London, as well as our other five global internship destinations.

Cultural Differences

So you want to go global - What a tremendous opportunity to gain invaluable practical work experience, learn new foreign language skills, and experience amazing cultural immersion opportunities. Be prepared for some major differences in culture between your home country and the country you are going to be studying, working and living in.

“Culture gives people a sense of who they are, of belonging, of how they should behave, and of what they should be doing. Culture impacts behavior, morale, and productivity at work, and includes values and patterns that influence company attitudes and actions.”[1]

For North Americans and Europeans, immersing yourself in another “western” country is often considered easier than studying or interning in the Far East due to cultural differences. While many European and North Americans share commonalities these can lure you into “a false sense of familiarity… and the apparent similarities between countries mask significant cultural differences,” leaving you with a certain level of culture shock.[2]

Be aware of your own cultural identity relative to those around you and pay attention to all the different ways things happen. In Australia meetings are usually proceeded by small talk, in Ireland you should shake hands when you meet someone and again as you leave. In Italy you don't want to eat at your desk while at work and fashion is always important. Be prepared to learn about the country you are visiting and try to adapt your manners to ensure the greatest success. Learn the traditions, respect the culture, and immerse yourself fully in the experience.

For interns, take the time to learn international business etiquette and practices, and you will have a great learning experience, establish life-long friendships, develop an international network, immerse yourself in a foreign culture, and see some of the most famous places in the world. So get out there and learn, grow, and develop, you won’t regret it!

Working in France
Both business and government life are characterized by a strong hierarchical structure. Positions and the corresponding power are clearly defined. At meetings for instance, seating is in hierarchical order and important decisions are hardly ever made during the meeting itself. Often the chief decision maker - the "decider" - is even outside the meeting. Click Here for custom internships in France.

Working in Australia
The Australian work environment is similar to that of the USA and England. Egalitarianism is a cherished idea in Australia, based largely on a classless society in which everybody is treated equally. Consequently, success should not be overtly celebrated and modesty is an appreciated virtue. For a foreigner it is important to remember that you should never criticize Australia (true with most countries of course) or be too positive about your home country. However the other way round (being very positive about Australia and negative about your home country) will not gain you any points either. Respect the social and business culture, ask questions, and be yourself. The Aussies are a very welcoming bunch! Click Here for custom internships in Australia.

Working in Ireland
Be prepared! The Irish seem very easy going, but underneath the conversational surface they prove to be rather tough negotiators. The business culture is similar to that of the US and socially they are generally outgoing. Grab a pint of Guinness at a Dublin pub and you'll see what we mean! Click Here for custom internships in Ireland.

Working in Italy
Generally speaking, Italians have a different feeling towards time than most people in the world. Italians are rarely on time (unless it is really important!) and the slow enjoyment of life, food and socializing, unencumbered by the concept of time, reigns supreme. Punctuality in Milan means 20 minutes, in Rome half an hour and in the South of Italy 45 minutes too late. Of course to most Italians, there is no such thing as being late! Click Here for custom internships in Italy.

Working in the United Kingdom
The British have a fondness for debate and view meetings as gatherings to seek agreement rather than to issue instructions. They put a lot of poise, wit and diction in their way with words, but often do not realize that not everybody is a native speaker.[3] Click here for custom internships in London.

1. International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions by Richard Mead
2. The Cultural Differences between the European Union and North America and their Impact on Transatlantic Business by Lionel Laroche, Ph.D., P.Eng. www.itapintl.com/culturaldifferenceseuna.htm
3. www.labourmobility.com/individuals/culturalmanagementdifferences/

More Students Studying Abroad!

According to this year’s Open Doors 2007, the annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education, the number of U.S. students studying abroad increased by 8.5% during the 2005/2006 academic year. Shorter durations and program offerings in more diverse destinations both added to the increase in numbers.

The study shows that more than half of the students who studied abroad during the 2005/2006 academic year chose short-term programs (Summer programs, January term programs or programs of 8 weeks and less) over the traditional semester based program.
While the top 5 destinations (U.K., Italy, Spain, France & Australia) remained the same between the 2006 and 2007 Open Doors reports, this year’s showed an increase in students going to Asia (up 26%), Latin America (up 14%), Africa (up 19%) and the Middle East (up 31%).

In the report, Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of IIE states that “Students should get a passport along with their student ID”. We agree!

Global Experiences is happy to offer internship programs in each of the top 5 locations.

Check out the full report: Open Doors 2007.

Working to Live

In an article found in the most recent National Geographic Traveler magazine there is an article comparing the U.S.’s vacation/holiday schedule to that of other nations around the world.

The Facts: The U.S. is notorious for the “Live to Work” mentality which would explain why there is a high employee burnout rate in this country. According to a study referenced in the article, the average American gets 9 paid vacation days and 6 holidays off per year and are encouraged to either not use the time, or if they do use it, not to take more than a few consecutive days off in one week. The number of paid holidays and vacations days an American receives is completely dependent on the policies of the company he/she works for, not on policies mandated by the government as is the case with 137 countries around the world. Most Europeans for example are guaranteed an average of at least 20 days of paid leave per year though 25 to 30 days is more common. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in which its workers are not legally entitled to a certain amount of time off per year.

Here are the numbers:(*Number of paid vacation days and holidays mandated by the governments of the U.S. and our internship program locations):

Australia – Vacation: 20 days; Holidays: 7 days
France – Vacation: 30 days; Holidays: 1 day
Italy – Vacation: 20 days; Holidays: 13 days
Spain – Vacation: 22 days; Holidays: 13 days
U.K. – Vacation: 20 days; Holidays: 0 days
U.S. – Vacation: 0 days; Holidays: 0 days

The good news is that not all American companies hold back when it comes to giving their employees paid vacation time and holidays. Many companies have attractive vacation policies and are closed during the week between Christmas and New Year’s so that employees have a week to unwind and spend with family.

Something for Interns to think about: For those of you who are interning abroad, this will be one of the many differences you will encounter at the work place. A colleague may be on vacation for a solid 2 to 3 weeks during your time with the company or you may enjoy a long weekend here and there due to a holiday built into a country’s work calendar. It will be another cultural difference for you to take in. Who knows, maybe this along with everything else you will experience during your time abroad will one day take you back to the country for a more permanent situation!

The full article, Vacation-Deficit Disorder, can be found in National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine’s November/December 2007 issue. To learn more about National Geographic’s publications, visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/.