Many Chinese students prefer to stay with a local family at the beginning of their studies, in order to improve their English and to familiarise themselves with the customs of Western life and better integrate into the local society.
Unlike renting a Manchester student apartments, homestay students live with their host family and live with them day in and day out, which is very helpful for international students who are new to a foreign country to quickly improve their English conversation skills and understand local customs and culture. However, different cultural backgrounds and habits often lead to conflicts between students and their host families.
It is important to understand that it is important to respect and follow the habits of your host family, and to understand that to avoid conflicts and to live together as a family, mutual respect, Manchester student accommodation and understanding are required.
As a boarding student, it is important that you follow the customs of your host family to a certain extent, since you have chosen to stay with them. You should be aware that your host family is your temporary home, not your real home, and that you are a member of the family. When you move in with a host family, you can ask your homestay mother or father about the family’s daily habits so that you can pay attention to them later:
It is best for homestay students not to talk on the phone after 9pm, and not to make a lot of noise in the shower or washing up, and not to come home at midnight to avoid disturbing the landlord’s rest.
Bathing: Westerners are generally very conscious of their personal hygiene and bathe very frequently. It is advisable for boarding students to enquire about the appropriate time to shower once they have moved in, to avoid any conflicts or lack of hot water. Try to keep your bath time as short as possible – around 10 minutes. Clean the bathroom afterwards, wipe it down with a cloth and finally open a window to let in some fresh air.
Visiting friends: In general, always ask your homestay father and mother’s permission beforehand to invite friends to visit you, and don’t take it upon yourself to invite friends regularly to prevent them from disturbing the daily life of your host family.
It is best not to have the idea that I am paying you to do the work, but to be involved in household chores such as setting the table before and after meals, washing dishes, helping to clean the house, etc.
Practice conversation: The opportunity to practice English with Westerners is the reason many boarding students choose to stay with them, but it is best to find opportunities and topics to talk to your landlord, rather than to pester him or her to practice English with you regardless of the occasion.
Cleaning up your room: Western families usually do a weekly house cleaning on a Saturday or Sunday, with the whole family cleaning up the room, dusting the carpets and washing the clothes. At this time, it is also important for boarding students to do a thorough cleaning of their rooms and to organise their belongings. It is important not to leave bedding unfolded or rooms in disarray even during the week, but to keep them clean and tidy. Finally, it is important to emphasise that although homestay fathers and mothers are not your biological parents, they are the ones who take care of your daily life and food during your stay, and they show a certain amount of love and care.
