Los Angeles Term

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Department of Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL
• Los Angeles Term

• About the Program
• • Why L.A.?
  • Program Model
  • Experiential Learning
  • Family Homestays
  • Internships
  • City Guides
  • Meet the Faculty and Staff
  • Student Testimonials
• Student Poetry
• Tuition and Fees
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Apply to the Program
• News and Calendar
• Contact Information

Family Homestays

Living with a family in the host community is one of the best opportunities for learning how to work and relate effectively across the borders of culture, class, creed, and language. The family is a microcosm of the larger society. In its daily routines, cultural expressions, role relations, and communication styles, the family affords guests a fascinating “window” into the lived reality of another cultural group.

All participants in the L.A. Term stay with local families, and it proves to be one of the most rewarding experiences of the program. Through the homestay, students become an authentic part of the host community as they participate in the routines and relationships of their hosts. Attending family birthday parties and kids’ baseball games, and sharing meals together becomes a natural part of everyday life.

The L.A. Term staff secures host families primarily through local churches and schools. They consider a variety of factors in selecting a suitable host family: ethnicity, stability, distance from the program center, ability to include students in their family life, space availability, spiritual maturity, and community reputation. Students may also be placed in a single-parent, extended-family, or multiple-family home.

Host families are given the following guidelines when hosting a student:

• Have food available for three daily meals.
• Incorporate the student in the daily life of the family, including chores, religious services, and family outings.
• Live in or near the program contact area in Los Angeles.
• Provide space for sleeping and storage of personal items. (A host family is not required to provide a student with his/her own room. Students may share a room with an older child.)