1.What’s Homestay?

Homestay as a short-stay accommodation option is very popular now among people studying, traveling and working abroad. In China, it is called ‘Min Su’, meaning ‘living in the family of local residents’. For the host family, you can receive such foreigners as overseas students, travelers, businessmen and so on with spare rooms; for the guest, you can live with the homestay family while traveling. You would be possibly provided with a singlebedroom and meals during a short stay with the family.

2.Why homestay?

3. What’s homestayglobal.com ( HSG)?

homestayglobal.com is the first worldwide DIY web-service for homestay and its related activities. With Internet technology, it transits from one which relies on homestay agency into a self–operating system with full accessibility to information. Thus, people involved could find their ideal homestay partners and hold such related activities, as language learning and tutoring, translating and interpreting, guide and airport pickup and etc. Regarding the demands of guests as their first priority and with the purpose of providing the largest amount of guests with the greatest pleasure, HSG holds various kinds of activities such as cultural lectures, linguistic exchanges, salons for friends making, getting-togethers and trips. No doubt, it plays a great important role in building up a life stage for the majority of people who want to learn language and culture, make friends and expand business.

4. Why homestayglobal.com(HSG)?

It offers a DIY service platform where one can release information freely, manage communication voluntarily. Thus the users can not only share information transparently which used to be hold tightly by the homestay agency but also enjoy the unrestricted communication among themselves. They may take part in other activities designed by HSG to meet their personal needs such as language and culture learning, friends making, job seeking and etc. HSG starts form Shanghai and will soon extend orldwide. It welcomes cooperation from all organizations and communities. HSG, with its specific advantage, would doubtless set an example for other insiders.

5.What is "free self-service"?

The registered user of HSG can release information and browse the information for lodging within their rights. They can contact those they are interested in by a booking system or releasing a message until they find a suitable host family or guest.

6.What is "Free post"?

Every registered user of HSG will have a self-service including data and function management, and a presentation window, where one can fill in, delete and edit all sorts of the related information at any moment. (One can also upload your shot on presentation window.)

7.What will the "HSG-Service" provide?

For the registered users who have some difficulties in the usage of Internet, foreign language communication and necessary knowledge of law, or those who have no time dealing with the homestay arrangement, HSG will provide registration assistance, information releasing, language translation, law counsel, and recommendation of agencies with good credit to meet different demands of users.

8.Do I need to pay a service fee for a successful reception or accommodation via HSG?

All users who attain a reception, an accommodation or some related service via HSG do not need to pay any intermediary service fee.

9.Whether can HSG ensure the authenticity of all released information?

In spite of its every effort to attain the authenticity, accuracy and timeliness, HSG is not responsible for them.

1.How much will the host family charge for the accommodation?

The fee ranges from 1500RMB to 4500RMB, depending on the accommodation conditions, such as black, transportation, surroundings, the indoor decoration and facilities. Take Shanghai as an example, if its location is in the downtown, or near your study and work place with three-room apartment and a separated bathroom, the host family can charge for 2500RMB to 3500RMB per month; two-room apartment with a shared bathroom costs 1500~2500RMB per month. Host family with excellent conditions can charge +3500RMB per month.

2.Is it safe enough to receive (接待) strangers?

If you find the guest unreliable, you can refuse to offer accommodation. Before the guest moves in, you should ask him or her to show the passport, visa or other valid documentations. Besides, you should ask for a copy of those credentials. Within 24 hours after the accommodation, you need to take your guest to the nearby PSB for registration, leaving their address, contact number and so on. In all, you should keep the cognition of safety.

3.What the host family need to do for the guest?

First, you need to offer a clean and tidy room for the guest. Second, you have the duty to help the guest with some daily problems and help him or her with culture about China and your city. You need regard the guest as one of your family member, and communicate in Chinese. You can provide breakfast or dinner if you want.

4.What are the manners the host family need to pay attention to?

1) Host families should move your personal things out before the guest moves in, In order to prevent causing some misunderstandings,
2) Host families should inform the guest beforehand when there are someone to visit them.
3) Host families should respect the guest’s time table.
4) Host families should respect the decision the guest makes and the idea he or she has.
Moreover, you are required not to interfere with the privacy of the guest.
5) Host families should bear the cultural differences in mind and get ready for it mentally in spite of the difficulties to get used to living with foreign guys.
6) Host families are required not to smoke in the public place (It is forbidden in many western countries).

5.How to charge the lodger for our family’s Internet and telephone?

Please allow the lodger to use the Internet for free. In addition, the lodger may make the local phone call and the fee could be negotiated between the two sides. All long distance calls must be made using a calling card by the lodger.

6.How to arrange the deal if my family member wants to learn the mother tongue of the lodger?

A. You may ask the lodger for it directly.
B.You can release the rental fee according to the situation when the lodger is willing to offer the assistance to you and your families in the spare time.
C.Also, you and the lodger can teach the language to each other for free by offering the equal time.

7.What can be done to attract more foreign guests?

This is a process of two-way choice. Generally speaking, the accommodation conditions, such as the house location, the living condition and the family members, your language ability, will influence the guests’ decision. What is more, your requests for the guest, for instance, motherland, mother tongue, belief, life habit……could also have some impacts on the choice of the guest. In sum, the more requirements you meet, the less you require, the greater chances you will have to be chosen as the homestay family and vice versa.