Question 1

How old are the guests?

Accepted Answer

The guests coming from France are teenagers, between 13 and 18 year old.

Question 2

How long do guests stay with us? When do they come?

Accepted Answer

Guests usually stay between 2 and 4 weeks.
Most of them come during the summer holidays, mainly from late June to early August.
Your profile on Guestbook will allow you to set precise dates when you are available to host. Guests will only be able to apply for a stay with your family during the period when you are available.

Question 3

Can I choose my guest?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
Your host family profile on Guestbook will allow you to share details about your family and your requirements for hosting (preferred dates, gender, age...)
After completing your profile as a host family on Guestbook, French students will be able to find you using various search criterias: location, dates of availability, hobbies etc. Then they can apply for being a guest with your family and will send you a cover letter.
At the end of the process you decide to accept the guest or not.
Thanks to Guestbook, the match making process between host families and guests is made easy and the chances that they will get along are higher!

Question 4

Will I get paid?

Accepted Answer

The host family program is a voluntary program. 
The reward for families is the experience, the value of intercultural exchange and new friendships.
When needed, a compensation can be awarded to cover the extra costs of hosting (food, laundry).
Extra expenses such as outings, visits, camps etc. are either paid by the guest on site or reimbursed to the host family if needed.

Question 5

What if an accident happens?

Accepted Answer

All guests come with a mandatory and comprehensive health and personal liability insurance.
We provide 7/7 24/24 assistance, from our headquarters in Paris and through our local coordinators.

Question 6

Is it Covid safe?

Accepted Answer

The program complies with the CDC requirements for entering the United States.
All participants are fully vaccinated and boosted before travelling.

Question 7

Do I need to speak French?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not! As an immersion program, the primary goal is for the French student to speak English as much as possible.
If you are a francophile family, you can also take this opportunity to pratice your French, but only a short period of time each day.

Question 8

What does my guest do during the day?

Accepted Answer

Host families are not expected to put together a comprehensive program of activities for the entire duration of the guest's stay. Most of the time, the guest shares your family daily activities.
Host families ar expected to involve their guest in as many activites as possible: meals, shopping, outings, celebrations, sports, hobbies... They often spend a lot of time with the children of the family, sharing their favorite activities and meeting their friends. 
The guest can even come with you if you are planning a trip somewhere while she/he is here (it has to be mentioned clearly in advance).
 
For families with younger children, the guest can come as a "family helper" anf spend a few hours each week  babysitting and helping the parents in their daily life.

Question 9

I don't have children. Can I host?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely!
Many host families are "empty nesters", sometimes single parents. 
In this case, it is important to prepare for your guest's visit to make sure he/she is kept busy during the stay.
La Route des langues USA can help you finding daily activities for your host such as day camps or volunteering.

Question 10

What rules do the guests follow?

Accepted Answer

Before leaving, the French teenagers sign a pledge to behave respectfully during the program. 
Then the house rules of the host family apply. It is important to be very clear about these rules from the beginning.

Frequently Asked Questions