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The
ideal host family is welcoming enthusiastic, eager to learn,
caring and has a sense of adventure. Is that you?
What is Homestay?
Homestay has been around for years and is particularly popular
among the Japanese. It is seen as part of their education and
children as young as primary age may go off with their class
for a several weeks to a foreign country in order to become
acquainted wit Western ways and to develop their English. The
Japanese have a fascination with the English language. Kande's
Homestay is run by Kande Sheppard who was born and raised in
Japan with her missionary parents, and lived in England for
13 years. She has trained businessmen and women in cross cultural
communications and as she currently lives in Japan; her focus
is to further develop her Homestay Program, which has been enjoyed
by Japanese of all ages for the past 8 years. Kande’s Homestay
Program acts as a facilitator in matching Japanese visitors
with the appropriate Host Family.
“We do all we can do to make the right match but ultimately
it is up to the visitor and the Host Family to make it a success.
We pray that it will be an enriching experience as they observe
your lifestyle on a day to day basis.”
Kande Sheppard |
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Host
Families
To become a host family you need to fill in an application form
and send it along with pictures of your home and family to Kande.
The application will be followed up with an interview and perhaps
a visit to your home by a local agent. Upon acceptance, Kande
will add you to the register of host families, whereupon you
will be contacted when a Homestay possibility arises. Kande
meets with each guest and carefully tries to match the guest
with the right host family, who has been hand picked by Kande
or her agent -. (This sense of friendship and trust is more
important to the Japanese than cost!). Matching involves comparisons
between the interests and criteria that the guest has stated,
i.e. Location, children, pets, etc. and the criteria of the
host family, i.e. preferred time of year to host, frequency,
age, etc. Not all guests will desire to be involved in English
classes. The key feature of this Homestay program is ‘integration’.
This is what draws Japanese to Kande’s Homestay . . . .
. the possibility of become a temporary but active participant
in your family’s life.
We do not ask you to be ‘tour guides’ (although we
request that at least one day a week be dedicated to sightseeing
or an extra special outing), but to involve them in every aspect
of your lives enabling the experience for both guest and host
to be a rich and rewarding one.
It is important to keep in mind that Kande’s Homestay program
is an education program that includes you as well as your Japanese
visitor. To help prevent unnecessary distress for your guest
and to widen your own understanding, we provide you some materials
that will help you prepare you in your role as Host.
“You will never be obligated to accept a guest if the
timing or even feeling is not right for you. You can use our
on-line Host Family Response form or alternatively Email or
write to us today for an application form.”
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Kande
San Charitable Trust
Kande’s Homestay program is an activity of the Kande San
Charitable Trust, which is a Christian Education Charity registered
in the UK. We believe that the most basic element of Christianity
is the imperative to Love God and to Love our Neighbour, In
order to Love God we must be exposed to the world he has made
in all of it variety and to love our neighbour involves us taking
time to know and understand them. While on opposite sides of
the earth, Japan and Britain are very much neighbours. While
very different, the two nations have similarities: Both are
island nations with rich histories and sophisticated culture,
standard bearers in the international community, etc. Cultural
enrichment, understanding and appreciation can lead to fruitful
cultural and Business partnerships as well as create a sense
of mutual respect and peaceful relations.
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