What inspired you to work for Cultural Homestay International (CHI)?
I lived abroad in Europe for almost a decade. When I returned to the US, I really wanted to maintain the international aspect of my life while encouraging other Americans to travel abroad. CHI has allowed me to do just that. I work with a staff from all over the world, and I help other Americans realize their travel dreams.
3 World Explorers in China 2018
Describe a typical day at work for you.
Every work day is different at CHI. I juggle a multitude of tasks including: recruiting and interviewing applicants, corresponding with business partners in over 20 countries, coordinating placements and making travel arrangements, managing social media sites and marketing campaigns, and more. Our office environment is casual and we do a lot of fun activities like themed lunches with our international staff. Sometimes I feel like I am traveling just by coming to the office!
How do you work with and support the many programs CHI offers all over the world?
As the World Explorers Program Manager at CHI, I am responsible for all of our programs that send Americans overseas. Our main program places people with a host family where they teach conversational English for 15 hours per week in exchange for room and board. Over the past year or two, I have implemented some new travel opportunities that offer more structure. We now offer International Internships, Volunteer Abroad projects, and Au Pair Abroad programs which are more like full-time jobs.
What about the mission of Cultural Homestay International makes you proud to promote and work with the available programs?
CHI’s mission since 1980 has been to promote cross-cultural understanding through people-to-people exchanges. Understanding cultural differences through travel is a passion of mine. The programs we offer do just that, and I am proud to have joined CHI’s mission in 2010.
Heidi in Berlin
Why do you think it is important for people to experience living with locals in order to truly understand a culture?
Living with a host family allows travelers to dive into that culture and immerse themselves in the daily way of life, the language, the food, the music, the tv shows, etc. Backpacking and living in hostels can be a really fun way to travel, but at the end of the day, most backpackers end up meeting other travelers and don’t really get to meet many locals, except for those that work within tourism.
What do you hope participants take away from participating in CHI programs?
We hope that our participants return home with a more global outlook on their lives. Living abroad can really change one’s perspective. It’s awesome to see our alumni continue their travels through social media. One participant even surprised his former host brother by showing up at his wedding unannounced! I love getting emails from former participants telling me that they have gone on to pursue their TEFL certificate and are now teaching abroad. Inspiring people to keep traveling is one of the most important things I can do!
Heidi in France
What is your best piece of advice for CHI participants before departure?
My best piece of advice for CHI participants before they depart on their programs is to do diligent research about the place they are going to and what is and isn’t culturally accepted. Living with a host family is a very intimate experience and the last thing you want to do is offend someone without meaning to!
If you could participate in a CHI program, where would you go and what would you do?
I did our home tutor program in Sao Paulo, Brazil a couple years ago. I taught English to my host family every day, we made food together and they introduced me to a lot of friends. I had an awesome time exploring the vibrant city and visiting other parts of Brazil. I think that I would choose one of our more exotic destinations next time - maybe Mongolia!
Heidi at a Nicaragua Volcano
How do you make the efforts of CHI programs sustainable for the communities that they support?
I want to ensure that the CHI programs I run benefit the local community. In order to do this, we partner with trusted agencies around the world to help us arrange our placements and promote cultural exchange in their area. We want this to be a win-win for all parties involved.
The World Explorers program allows host families to learn English from a native speaker through daily conversation. The participant also has the chance to learn the local language and culture. This type of cultural immersion experience is more sustainable than mass tourism because it doesn’t aim to exploit the local culture by selling it as part of a packaged tour, it aims to educate people about how to respect that culture by actually being a part of it.
What do you hope to see in the future for CHI and your programs?
I hope to see our programs expand even farther around the globe. I am always open to new ideas and opportunities. I hope to establish new partnerships with innovative companies to continue to grow our programs and change more lives through travel.
