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Please Help - Homestay family needed -
07-29-2008, 03:52 AM
Hi,
I am a female American student who has studied Japanese for two years. I was accepted into ICU, but they did not give me a place to stay. I am looking for a host family near International Christian University. It is in Mitaka-shi. Is anyone a host family or willing to help me look for a host family? I will be in Japan for a year, and I am coming in September. Even if someone cannot host me for the full year, I really would like some place to stay when I get there. I have searched for countless hours on the internet trying to find some. All the ones I have found have been either more expensive than an apartment or an hour or more from the school. Is that distance common for people staying with host families? Thanks for your time. 
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07-29-2008, 04:33 AM
Host families being that distant from the school is quite common. When I did a homestay, I, as well as every other homestay student in the same program as me were commuting an upwards of 2+ hours a day. Japanese homes closer to major city centers are (usually) small and not suited for having an extra student staying in them. Most foreign students stay with families that live out in the suburbs. I don't really know any methods for "finding" a host family, because most host families are arranged for the student by the school or university. If you are able to find one on your own, I'd take it, even if you have a bit of a commute each day -- I know I certainly wouldn't have traded my stay with my host family for the convenience of living close to the school I went to.
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07-29-2008, 06:26 AM
Quote:
I'm pretty sure that the city has some kind of home stay program in place. But college students often get into trouble with home stay families cos you think you are an adult but for the host family, they feel responsible once they take you so you might have to put up with curfews and other house rules that you may not be expecting. I will get back to you soon.
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07-29-2008, 06:40 AM
Consider living on your own, or with some other college students, instead of a homestay. You'll have much more freedom, and can go where you want, when you want.
Have you lived on your own before? When I moved to Japan, it was also my first time living on my own, and I loved it. I went on 6 weekend homestays during my 2 years, and they were fun, but I would not have traded the ability to live on my own in Japan for a permanent homestay. You can and will make plenty of Japanese friends, and you can stay with them sometimes, travel together, hang out, etc. From the people I knew who did homestays, they had to be home by a certain hour, and their host families tended to be more doting and restrictive than the western kids were used to... Of course, there are also benefits to the homestay... greater immersion in Japanese language, a closer support network, etc. You'll have to decide for yourself what is most important to you, I'm just saying to think carefully about it, and the pros and cons of each.
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07-30-2008, 10:59 AM
Im in a Homestay right now and i have to commute 1.5 to 2 hours (one way) a day wich is pretty normal for the student of my school (but there are no ones commuting longer). I would not want to exchange the Homestay here against living alone because my family doesnt give me curfew or anything, but i also woulndt stay here for a year (i will move around soon).
A homestay is defenetly good to get started, how about trying to find something for the first 2 month and than think about moving to your own place?
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