Compiled by Scott Bronner: English Teacher at Sophia University in Tokyo , Japan
For any homestay program, it is good to see if you can speak with people who have gone before. Ask them not only how their time was but also if anyone they were with had troubles, and how the homestay agency handled the situation. There are quite a few programs that are run for money, but the programs below are run by Christians in the USA , the UK , or Canada , either as volunteers or for a low cost.
Usually, people involved in these programs are encouraged to attend church on Sunday and there may be some sort of weekly Christian English activity, often optional, but otherwise most of the activities are typical enjoyable activities that any good homestay program would offer. The programs below check their families carefully and have far fewer problems than other programs that I've heard students tell me about, especially those that are run mainly for profit.
All of these are regular Protestant Christian organizations, so you can rest assured that you’ll not end up in the home of some strange religious sect. Family structures are varied, especially in the English-speaking world, but you are also more likely to be placed in a traditional family with a dad, mom and children, or an older couple with extended family in the area. Best of all, students that I’ve had go into these programs have been impressed with the level of care they’ve received, sometimes even after returning to their home country!
Christian Homestay & English Program Information
(current as of June 2003)
Short list of web-sites for homestay organizations :
Homestay International (run by Warren & Yukari Griffith in Orlando Florida ) at: http:// www.homestay.us
American Home Life International (run by Ruth Powers & David Lindhiem in Lancaster , Pennsylvania & California & possibly Tampa Florida ) at http://www.amhomelife.org/
Agape English Language Institute (run by Raj Aluri, graduate of Columbia Bible college, in 3 South Carolina locations) at http://www.aeliusa.com/homestay.htm
British Columbia Christian Academy has a summer and winter ESL program with a homestay component. It's located in Canada (near Vancouver ) and has interesting trip and culture components. See http://www.bcchristianacademy.ca and then click on the links for the summer (or winter) ESL program.
Christian English program in the U.K. This program, located in Yorkshire, includes a homestay and dormitory option. See: http://www.funenglish.co.uk
M&M Homestay Miho (a certified English teacher from Gakushuin University and Micah (a native English speaker who has taught Japanese stuents) run a very reasonable (60,000 yen per week) English Homestay School out of their home in historic Lynchburg, Virginia USA (not far from Washington D.C.) See their website at: http://www.mandmacademy.com Email: info@mandmacademy.com Tel: 1-434-845-5624
In Japan there is also a Japanese branch of Word of Life Bible Camps that advertise their camps and seem to offer a Japanese-led option. The international site is: http://www.wol.org/camps
Word of Life Camps also have a Japanese site but only in Japanese. See: http://www.woljapan.org
Details of Each Pro gram:
American Home Life International
American Home Life International is an excellent program with lots of experience (about 30 years) and is the most flexible of all the programs. You can go there for 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, or 4 years (colleges are in the area), and they'll arrange homestays for you. They are mainly located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania which is a very safe area, yet a couple hours from major cities like Washington DC, New York, and Philadelphia - so tours are organized there (as well as to Hersheys, PA for chocolate lovers)! They're selective about families in their program and have a good track record over the years. Recently, they started a program in Lancaster , CALIFORNIA (outside L.A. ) and in Florida in the Tampa area. Contact information for more information and brochures is as follows:
David Lindheim (Ministered in Japan before switching to work for American Home Life): davidl@amhomelife.org Ruth Powers (Director): ruthp@amhomelife.org Web-site: http://www.amhomelife.org/
Japan-based contact for American Home Life International (who became a Christian in it & runs Yokohama Club): Kazuko Nakamura at 045-366-2668 or email nkazuko@d4.dion.ne.jp
{For summer 2004, the contact for SEND/OMF Homestay USA which goes to Lancaster , PA in the summer with a group of Japanese through American Home Life will be Jim & Angela May jimangmay@send.jp }
Homestay International
Another excellent Christian homestay program, Homestay International, is based in the Orlando , Florida area and the groups of students also go on a trip from there to Atlanta . Programs are held at varying times of the year -- winter, spring and summer break. It is focused on ministry to Japanese, and perhaps longer homestays can be arranged on a case-by-case basis. It was founded by Warren & Yukari Griffith. See their web-site for more info or call a contact person in Osaka who is enthusiastic about the program Free dial telephone to Osaka contact: 0120-87-0317
Homestay International Web-site in English or Japanese http://homestay.us/
Email the program directors : Warren & Yukari Griffith: info@homestay.us (he can send further references)
British Columbia Christian Academy
This is a program for those that would like to be in an intensive English study program that includes trips and a cultural component as well as a homestay. It's located east of Vancouver in Canada and takes trips to beautiful and interesting places. For more information see http://www.bcchristianacademy.ca and click on links for their four-week summer ESL programs or winter programs. These programs have set dates unless one can get a group of 8 or more together who would be at a similar English level. This program goes from elementary age to young adult (high school/university). The 2nd term summer 2003 program is from July 28th to August 23rd.
For more information: Tel. 604-941-8426 Ext.234 Email: foreignstudies@bcchristianacademy.ca or
Email Darcy S Van Horn (Director of Foreign Studies & Continuing Education) : darcyvanhorn@hotmail.com
