What to expect from my trip

What to expect from my trip?
How are host families selected? What should I expect of my host family?
What is to expect from a residence accommodation?
How are the meals going to be? What happens if I have a special (medical, religious or other) nutritional need?
What are the rules I will have to abide by during my program?
How much free time will I get during my trip abroad?
How will I be supervised during my trip abroad?
How much will my language level improve during my trip?
Who are going to be the other participants during my program?

How are host families selected? What should I expect of my host family?
Why choose an accommodation in a host family? You will get first-hand information on the local culture and really experience the local way of life. You may also make life-long friends!
We believe that the success of a stay abroad largely depends on the quality of the host family. Our local coordinators carefully select and visit prospective host families.
Our host families are:
• Warm, welcoming & open minded,
• Proud to share their lifestyle & language,
• Willing to include an exchange student in their family & community,
• Aware that today's youth need to be world citizens.
Sometimes you’re hosted in an individual room, sometimes in shared rooms. It depends on the destination and program. However, students of different sex won’t share a room. Generally speaking, there won’t be more than 4 years of difference between two children sharing the same room. In all programs, host families have no duty to organize activities for you. You must be mature enough to get occupied by yourself.
You must be aware that a host family can be a single adult person, with or without children, retired people or a couple with children. A host family does not have systematically children of the same age like you. This is important that you do not expect to get the perfect family of your dreams and you must be open to the host family willing to host you.
You can be welcomed by a host family whose social environment, race or religion is different from yours. Please understand that you must be tolerant with these people and accept their difference. All host families are carefully visited and selected by our local representatives.
This is important for you to understand that you must adapt to the host family life, environment, and not the contrary.
During the visit, the local representative explains the aim of the program. In addition to the accommodation, the host family is expected to introduce you the local culture and way of life. You should not expect or request that the family organises tourist visits.
Note that host families can be volunteer or paid, depending on the program.
Families are not requested to do your laundry, ask them how you can wash your clothes.
A host family can welcome up to 3 exchange students at the same time– but none of them share the same home language; ie one German, one Canadian and one Mexican. So you may share your host family with people coming from the whole world: take the chance to make friends!
Please be kind and respectful. Remember that you are part of the family, not a guest. You can expect to eat dinner with your host family, help with housework and chores, and talk with them just as you would with members of your own family.
Host family accommodation is the heart of our programs and we have 50 years of experience in this field!

What is to expect of a residence accommodation?
We offer programs with a residence accommodation.
The residence can be the boarding quarters of a school, or a youth residence.
The accommodation may be organized in multishared bedrooms (up to 6 beds per room). Note that the bedrooms may not be locked for security reasons in some residences.
Do not expect to live in a luxurious residence; these residences are suitable for short-term stays and offer all facilities needed but they are not a hotel.
Bathrooms may be common to several bedrooms. Bedrooms and bathrooms are single sex.
A room deposit can be requested by the residence’s representative; this room deposit is given back at the end of the program when no damage due to you is noticed.
For some programs like language school, we offer accommodation in residence. Please see the description of the residence on each school’s webpage.

How are the meals going to be? What happens if I have a special (medical, religious or other) nutritional need?
Generally speaking, you will get hot meals during your stay when the meals are included in the package. When there are outings/excursions, you get a cold packed-meal for lunch (if you’re accommodated in full board). Exceptionally, when the outing is long, you can also get a cold dinner.
The host families and the residence cookers prepare common meals, and will not cook special meals for you (except for dietary, health or religious reasons).
You should be prepared to taste all the food prepared by the host family; host families may feel frustrated otherwise.
Depending on the program, you’re accommodated:
- on a full board basis = one night, with breakfast, lunch or packed meal for lunch and dinner.
- on a half board basis = one night, with breakfast and dinner.
If you develop allergies or require special meals for diet or health reasons, you’re requested to mention this on the application form when applying.
Late notices, during the stay, cannot be considered as valid.

What are the rules I will have to abide by during my program?
Depending on the program you will be participating to, different rules may apply. It can be program specific rules, host family or residence rules, Nacel rules… You will be informed of the supervision level in your program before departure, or by contacting us.
However, every participant, every group, will be supervised by a Nacel local representative. The Nacel local representative makes sure that you are enjoying the stay, and that the host family, the school or the residence’s staffs are also satisfied.
Ask questions to your host family or to the residence leader on arrival:
1) What else am I supposed to do daily other than make my bed, keep my room tidy at all times, and clean the bathroom every time I use it?
2) What is the procedure for laundry?
3) Where can I keep my toiletries? What is the most convenient time for me to use the bathroom? What is the appropriate amount of time to be in the shower?
4) When are mealtimes? Which meals does the family eat together?
5) Would you like me to: set the table, clear the table, wash/dry the dishes, put everything away after the meal, take out the garbage?
6) May I help myself to food or drinks at any time, or must I ask first?
7) What areas of the home are private?
8) In my room may I put up pictures, posters, or bulletin boards or rearrange the furniture?
9) What time must I get up on weekday mornings? Holiday and weekend mornings?
10) May I invite friends into the home during the day? May my friends stay the night?
11) What are the rules of transportation?
12) What are the rules for local or international telephone calls?
13) What are the rules for computer use?
14) When is it ok to watch TV and how long is appropriate?
15) I don’t want to offend anyone, so when I am doing something that bothers you personally, would you please let me know?
Always remember that the key to a successful relationship is open communication!

How much free time will I get during my trip abroad?
Depending on the program chosen, you will have more or less free time. During a summer camp, your free time will be the shortest because we organize a complete timetable of courses and activities. On the other hand, during a language school program, you will have free time as soon as you are outside of the classroom. Generally speaking, the more independent a program requires you to be, the more free time you will have, even if this rule counts some exceptions.

How will I be supervised during my trip abroad?
Supervision depends on the program chosen.
In some programs, like language schools or home lessons, there won’t be any supervision because these programs are aimed for adults. Students are considered mature and independent enough to be able to go around without any supervision. Of course, if you need assistance, you will be able to contact a local coordinator, but otherwise you will be in total immersion.
On the other hand, for some other programs, like summer camps, language courses, homestay programs and high school programs you will be monitored and supervised all day long, and won’t be independent.
For junior programs with homestay accommodation, you will have to respect the host family’s rules. This means that you can be allowed to go out, or may not and that you have to obey to the family’s recommendations for return hours. 
If you are living in a residence, you will have to abide to the residence regulations. Sometimes, parents are asked for a formal authorization to let their children go out by themselves.

How much will my language level improve during my trip?
There is no universal answer to this question. The improvement will depend on your program and your language learning abilities, and above all of your willingness to take the best out of your trip. If you take your trip to heart, you will no doubt notice an important improvement back home, even if during your trip you did not acknowledged it. The more you will interest yourself in the language and try to communicate while abroad, the most noticeable change you will see. Check the different steps of the language improvement!

Who are going to be the other participants during my program?
In some immersion programs (like homestay programs), you will likely be alone in your host family. In other programs, with various students, they can come from any country. This will promote cultural understanding, and help you to communicate in the host country’s language, since this is the only one you will all have in common.