Lingoo member Philippa Roberts agreed to a quick Q&A to share her hosting experiences.
What made you decide to become a host?
Having been on several language trips myself as a teenager, I very much wanted the same opportunities for my own children. They were too young at the time I started hosting but I figured that having a stream of European youngsters in our home would make language travel the most natural thing in the world to them when their time came. The fact that I could earn a small income from it too was a bit of a bonus.
And what made you choose to host through Lingoo?
There are no sign-up costs for hosts and you have the reassurance that the prospective guests have all been verified by Lingoo, so that’s a good start. Also, there is a lot of choice and good search facilities, so finding the right match is straightforward. There are a couple of other features that make the process very user-friendly too: the fact that deposits are all paid through the website and also the internal messaging facility, which allows you to find out everything you need to know about guests before the stay. All in all, a bit of a no-brainer really.
How did you and your family feel about having a young guest under your roof for the first time?
A bit anxious actually, which is quite normal I guess! I’d imagined that teenaged guests might feel awkward and could be reluctant to join in and so on, but actually, 90% of my guests have been really confident young people wanting to get the most out of the experience.
Dare we ask about the other 10%?!
I’ve only had one or two youngsters who were trickier but nothing a bit of common-sense couldn’t sort out. Board games and card games helped one shy guest to come out of her shell and the other was over-messaging his parents day and night - I gently suggested that he left his phone downstairs at night and the daytime messaging eased off naturally as he relaxed into his stay.
Do you entertain your teenager guests 24/7?
No, I think that would be exhausting for everyone concerned! Before I commit, I try to get a feel for the expectations, so whether they’re hoping to sightsee or whether they just want to join in our family’s normal weekly activities. Usually, it’s mostly the latter but we can usually accommodate it if there’s anything special they want to do. The guests – or their parents anyway – cover all costs in advance so their pocket money is the only thing they have to carry during their stay.
Do you offer formal language sessions as part of your hosting?
I know some Lingoo hosts do, but no, I don’t. I find that just by spending time with our family, our guests’ vocabulary and confidence expands pretty rapidly. The feedback is always really positive on the language front.
Do your guests have their own room when they come to stay?
Yes – I think it’s nice to be able to offer them their own space. We don’t actually have a spare room but my children are happy to bunk up together when we have Lingoos – as they like to call them - as they love having young guests to stay.
Teenagers can be fussy with food. Any problems with that?
I always enquire about dietary requirements and major dislikes before the stay but when they arrive, I don’t ask them if they’re happy with what I’m planning to serve. I think it would be missing the point if they didn’t eat as we do; it’s part of the authentic cultural experience.
Finally, what is it that makes you want to do this repeatedly?
It just works for everyone. I get satisfaction from offering a teenager a great life experience and it also gives my own children a new perspective - an opportunity to observe, be open-minded, flexible and inquisitive - so it helps them to develop their own life skills too.
Thinking of embarking on a hosting experience for the first time? Read more https://www.lingoo.com/en/become-host-family
