2. Homestay Overview
o Over the last 20 years its been a niche
market
o Over the last 12 months Homestay
there's been a lot of discussion about
it and what it should look like
o Over the next 5 years I expect it to
change again
o Ideally Homestay creates memorable
moments for students and families as
they learn about each others culture
3. About GE
o Established in 1999
o Homestay is our core business
o Presence in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne
o Opening in Canberra 2011
o Additional services: Airport Pick Up (APU)
o Guardianship
o Student accommodation - working with Urban Nest
4. About GE’s Culture
o Homestay is all about cross cultural
experiences
o People are individuals
o Multi cultural staff, multiple languages in
house
o Important to do the work and have fun
o Functioning business family
o Host family teas and E-newsletter
5. About GE’s Standars
o All families are interviewed by GE Homestay Co-ordinator
o All families have Working With Children Checks (WWCC)
o All families are ensured
o 24 x 7 Emergency Service Numbers
6. HKABA NSW Chapter Business Award 2009
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE Winner Export services
7. Typical Australian Family
o De Facto
o Single Mother
o Single Father
o Young married couple with or
without children
o Mixed Marriages between
cultures
o Older couples whose children
have left home
8. Australian in General
o 5 major cities on the country's edge
o Bus and train service varies from state to state
o This country is built on immigration, everyone comes from
somewhere else
o Most commonly spoken 2nd languages - Chinese, Arabic, Greek,
Spanish, Italian, Hindi and Indonesian
o Cultural 'norms'
10. Internet and Phones
o Charges apply!
o Internet - phone plans and things to note
o Phone - mobiles and landlines
11. Create a Memorable Experience
o When you arrive make sure you come with a positive attitude
o Bring an open mind to accept differences
o Be flexibility about this new culture, remember you can choose to
take it as a learning experience
o Try new things
o Be tolerant of the things you might not agree with
o Understand that Australia is a multicultural country
o Your host family may have come from another country
themselves, many years ago, often this makes them great hosts
as they know how challenging it can be to settle into a new
country
12. Problems and Issues
o When there are problems initially it is generally because of the
change in culture
o If you find you are not comfortable with your Host Family please
speak with GE or Denise at the college, so any issues can be
resolved
o GE’s contact number is 61 2 9264 4022 and after hours
emergency number is 61 430 008 448
o GE's hours of operation
• Mon - Fri 10:00 to 5:30
• Address – Level 1, 141 York St, Sydney
