Cultural Homestay International

I had an amazing time in the Dominican Republic. My host family was more than I could have ever hoped for. We still talk on a regular basis. Staying with a family provided so many opportunities that I never would have had if I had simply gone on a vacation. I sat in on press conferences, met famous singers, and attended a first grade graduation. Thank you so much for working to find a host family for me in the Dominican Republic. The people there are so warm and accepting. I will cherish my time there for years to come.

I loved living with the family and teaching English. I learned more about Spanish culture from my family than I would have ever learned in a million classes. My family was wonderful! They included me in their lives and made me part of their family. Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity.

I had one of the best experiences in my life! Not only was it wonderful to meet [my host family] and get experience teaching English, I was able to practice my French and gain more experience at listening to the French language. Immersing oneself in a different culture surrounded by a different language is a really great way to learn!

I had a fun and rewarding time last summer in China and Taiwan. I would certainly recommend this program. It was not too expensive and CHI provided a lot of support. It was a summer to remember.

Greece was somewhere I never thought I would be, but suddenly I was there on the trip of a lifetime. My experience teaching English for CHI was different than the normal placement, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything. A typical day would be spent by the beach, lunch in the taverna, and teaching English to the children in the afternoon. My nights were spent in town with the locals. I was even able to do a little island hopping to Mikinos, Delos, and Syros. I met amazing people who I am still in contact with and will never forget. My host family is even planning a trip to Florida (where I live) for Christmas, and they invited me back next summer. With an open mind and a little bit of flexibility I was able to have a great vacation and learn a little bit too!

Costa Rica was amazing and choosing to spend a month there this past summer was one of the best decisions I've made in my life thus far. My host family was amazing. They were sweet, kind people who I came to respect and like a lot. I hope to keep in touch with them for a long time, and maybe someday I'll be able to go back to visit. Overall, I had a wonderful time and learned a lot, not just about Costa Rica, but also about myself.

My trip to China was an eye-opening and enjoyable experience. Personally I really liked learning how people from a very different part of the world lead their lives. So different from what I'm used to! Immersion in a foreign country wasn't easy, but was ultimately worth it. The second language I learned is very useful. My host families were very nice to me. They really understood that I was not accustomed to their way of doing things and tried to make me feel comfortable. They also taught me a lot about Chinese culture, something I enjoyed very much.

I loved the OET program. Living with a host family really did give me and up close and personal view of what it is like to live in Italy. I experienced so much more than a tourist, because I was able to spend so much time with native Italians, not only with my host family but also with their friends and relatives. Also, I improved greatly in my Italian skills, because my host family wanted to spend half of the day speaking English and the other half speaking Italian. Overall I am extremely glad that I participated in the program, and I definitely have a family (and their friends) in Italy who would be happy to welcome me back at any time!

My placement was wonderful, and I really enjoyed my month in Japan. I have so many amazing memories from the experience, and have many people I hope to keep in contact with. I definitely would like to return someday, and I'd really like to go through the program again in the future to a different country.