Host Family
A host family is a family with at least one child living with them under the same roof that hosts an EduPair for a defined period of time.
Being an EduPair can be a life-changing experience that opens your eyes to the world, exploring a different country, its culture and people. Often it is the relationship that developed between EduPair and the host family that made it so special. Our host families offer a relaxed home environment and a genuine taste of local life in their area through their hospitality.
REQUIREMENTS of Becoming Host Families
Willinshare has high standards for our EduPair acceptance process and our process for selecting host families is just as thoughtful and rigorous. We have each host family complete an application process before they are able to match with one of our EduPair candidates. Potential host families search for EduPairs by the specific qualifications they need for their own families. Once an EduPair is chosen by a host family for an interview, the EduPair can see the host family's profile, including photos and a letter to the prospective EduPair. A match is never complete unless both the EduPair and host family agree to the schedule and other details discussed in the interview.
All our host families undergo a careful vetting process to make sure they are qualified to welcome our EduPairs.
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Welcome their EduPair as an extended member of the family.
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Healthy and Without a criminal record.
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Financially able to support an EduPair.
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Live in a house or apartment suitable for hosting an EduPair.
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Open-minded and Interested in world culture and language exchange.
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Happy to introduce an EduPair to Chinese culture.
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Possess good communication skills or one family member speaks reasonable English.
RESPONSIBILITIES of Being Host Families
Our host families are committed to being more than just a program participant to their EduPairs. Host families become their EduPair’s extended family in China and are their EduPair's most important connections in China. Many host families form a strong bond with their EduPair and establish relationships that often last longer than the duration of the program.
The host families will:
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Provide the EduPair with a private bedroom with an Internet connection.
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Provide the EduPair with regular meals a day.
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Provide the EduPair with monthly pocket money.
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Ensure the EduPair has time to attend language and culture courses.
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Include their EduPair in most family meals, outings, and celebrations.
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Treat the EduPair as a member of the family.
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Respect EduPair's cultural background.
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Guarantee that the EduPair will work no more than 30 hours/week and no more than 7 hours/day.
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Give the EduPair 1.5 days off /week, 3 days off as holiday if an EduPair stays for a 3-months stay or so on according to the contract.
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Guarantee that the EduPair will not do heavy housework or tasks unrelated to the host family's kid(s).
A CHINESE HOST FAMILY
That statement 'family is life' holds true in Chinese culture. Family is very important. So important that being an EduPair of one local family in China is like standing on the base of the Chinese culture. The Chinese culture has undergone many dramatic changes in recent years, including having adopted Western influences, but the family structure and the importance of family values remain a focus. Families are still cherished, honored and respected, whether you live in the traditional, rural environment, or the modern, urban city.
A Chinese host family :
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Cherish their family and motivated to a better life.
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Young parents with one or two kids aged between 3 and 14 years old.
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Lead decent lives as doctors, entrepreneurs, etc.
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Have a relatively constant pace of urban life.
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Have lived or traveled abroad.
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Speak standard Mandarin. Their English levels may vary but they all display a willingness to communicate, even if only through sign language.
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Have a close relationship with members of the extended family.
