Homestay

LEC carefully selects its host families

In each of the programs offered by LEC that include homestay accommodations, young participants will enjoy the benefits of a family environment: they will take part in their hosts’ daily lives, learn about the country’s customs and traditions, and experience a new way of life. Becoming part of the family’s daily life helps participants discover a new culture and provides an environment conducive to language learning.

How are families selected?

LEC works with local coordinators who live in the various host cities. Most of them have been working with us for many years and, as a result, have extensive experience in selecting host families.

Living locally, they know the host families and visit them regularly. All local organizers are interviewed, screened, and selected by our teams. In addition, through a series of meetings, they are trained in our hosting standards as well as those of the AFNOR standard, which they commit to upholding. They thus rigorously select families eager to host one of our young people and visit them personally to ensure their hospitality, their motivation to host a young person, and the comfort of their home.
During these visits, host families receive a comprehensive guide outlining LEC’s methods and requirements for its language immersion programs. Our host families also commit to encouraging the student to speak the local language and to sharing their daily lives with them. A large number of our families have been with us for many years and regularly host students on our behalf.
At the end of each stay, the young people evaluate their host family’s hospitality, which allows us to closely monitor the quality of each family’s hospitality.

LEC recommends: one or two French speakers per family?

This question is key to making the most of your child’s stay, and the answer depends mainly on their motivation to go and their personality.

Our experience has led us to the following conclusion:

If your child is truly independent and motivated, and has already acquired a solid foundation in the language of the chosen country, they may be placed as the only French speaker in their host family.
However, if this is your child’s first or even second stay, or if they are not yet comfortable enough with the language, we recommend pairing them with another French-speaking child.The reassuring presence of another young person—who could, of course, be a friend (or a relative)—will help your child feel more at ease and thus support their languagelearning.

For Club 4 stays and activities in England, the "Discover London" course and activities option, and the "Special 10th Grade" intensive courses and activities—including the "Discover London" option—in Malta, students are required to be placed with another French student in their host family.

Can my child go with a friend?

Of course! We fully understand that your child and one or more of their friends (or siblings, cousins, etc.) may want to share the experience of their language study tripor feel more comfortable staying together. That is why, if your child wishes to stay in the same city or with the same host family as a friend (or family member) of the same age or a similar age and of the same gender, you must clearly specify this when booking the trip; otherwise, your request cannot be accommodated.
In addition, it is essential that the young people depart on the same dates, for the same program, with the same theme or option, and using the same mode of transportation.
Registration for the young people must also take place at least 6 weeks prior to departure.

They share their stories

Our son’s host family was perfect. He improved his German and went on cultural outings. The hospitality was outstanding; we’d like to thank this teacher and her family.

The parents of Hugo M., a 16-year-old from Vineuil-Saint-Firmin, who took a language course in Germany

The host family was wonderful; my son enjoyed all the benefits of family life: conversations with the parents and their children, who were the same age as my son, outings, and activities with the family. It was the first time Alexandre had gone away on his own to stay with a host family, and the experience was very positive for him. He has very fond memories of it.

The mother of Alexandre K., a 15-year-old from Nogent-sur-Marne, regarding the host family that took in her son during his language study trip to England

Your child will be welcomed, embraced, and supported

As soon as he arrives, his family helps him get settled in his new home.

The Role of LEC Mentors

While education and safety are our teams’ top priorities, they also ensure everyone’s well-being, the young person’s integration, and their personal growth within the group. Our teams can be reached throughout the entire stay and are available to answer any questions you or the young people may have. Regardless of the program chosen, and for its entire duration, LEC also provides parents and students with an emergency phone number that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.