At LTL Mandarin School we offer two types of Homestay in Taiwan.
The standard Homestay and the Teach English Homestay.
In a nutshell:
Standard Homestay – Live with a Chinese family in Taipei and experience Chinese culture to the full. Enjoy wonderful home cooked food, speak Mandarin 24/7 and enjoy some once in a lifetime experiences with your new family as you become a part of their family
Teach English Homestay –50% cheaper than the standard homestay program. The teach English homestay offers you all the benefits of a standard homestay, the main difference being that every week you will teach English to a member of the homestay family. In total you are expected to teach 6 hours of English per week.
Live with a Chinese family
Two types of Homestay Program
Both give maximum exposure to culture
Teach English Program 50% cheaper
Teach English 6 hours per week
Explore the Culture
Experience Taipei – Live with a local family, embrace it Unique – Our homestays all have a great living environment Immersion, 100% – Speak Chinese all day long Meet the Family – Chances are they’ll be loads of people to meet!
Over a Decade in the Industry
Experience – We pick only the best homestay families in Taiwan Your New Home – Feel right at home form the moment you arrive Selected carefully – We don’t just select anyone – only the best for LTL students
Food to Die For
Prepared at home – Fresh, everyday, and it’s delicious Healthy – Chinese meals are some of the healthiest around Endless – Chinese food is so diverse, there is much to explore For everyone – Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free options available
Speak Mandarin 24/7
Keep talking – Take home what you learn each day and apply it. Keep learning – Study hard and the rewards will show Don’t stop listening – Breathe in Mandarin all day every day. The more you listen the more you’ll pick up
STANDARD HOMESTAY
Our homestay program is one of our most proud achievements since starting LTL Mandarin School and it shows in popularity with our students. Across all four of our LTL locations roughly 80% of our students choose to stay with a Chinese host family.
A key element of learning Chinese is to speak it 24/7 and not get caught in a “foreign bubble”, which is very easy to do. Living with a Chinese host family takes that temptation away, and you will also enjoy some wonderful home cooked food also.
Live with a Chinese family in Taiwan and teach English in the same Chinese program which provides you with a 50% discount on accommodation. Teach a member of your host family English for six hours every week in between your Chinese classes.
This option is ideal if you are on a budget but still want to experience living with a family in Taiwan. You will teach one member of the family English and you will create a schedule between you.
Immersion is a huge part about learning Chinese in our opinion and so it shows. Our students who stay with a homestay and learn Mandarin individually will generally always make quicker progress.
Our homestay program is the jewel in the LTL crown. One student, one Chinese family and Mandarin 24/7.
It’s all good and well learning Chinese at school but what about when class finishes?
You meet your foreign friends, drink at foreign venues and make foreign friends. It’s the natural and more comfortable thing to do but we advise against this and the homestay program is a great way of keeping the Mandarin ticking along all day.
Go home, and put in to practice exactly what you learned throughout the day.
You get experience real life in Taiwan, how families live, meet locals and make friends with Taiwanese. It’s an experience very few people get to enjoy and it’s one you’ll never forget, for all the right reasons.
It’s important to us as much as you that every detail is ironed out to your liking, so please do contact us using the live chat, or using the contact form above if you have any questions.
HOW DO WE CHOOSE OUR HOMESTAY FAMILIES
We select our Homestay families in Taiwan very carefully.
It’s not about accepting any family onto the program, they must fit our strict criteria before being accepted to look after our students. Location, family, level of English, facilities, apartment and many more things come into thinking when selecting our families in Taiwan.
In terms of the apartment they will all boast the facilities you’d expect, WiFi, private bedroom with lock, kitchen, home cooked food, air conditioning and heating.
All bills will be covered in the price.
We strive to make sure apartments are as close to our Taiwan Mandarin School as possible, this is very important to us.There maybe the exception, where a family fits our criteria perfectly but is located 45 minutes away for example.
When speaking to you about your program we make absolute sure what is most important for you.
If location is hugely important, we will take that into account, if you are a little more lenient about this, likewise, we note this down when selecting your family.
TEACH ENGLISH IN TAIPEI
Teach a member of your Chinese host family English for six hours each week with our Teach English in Taipei program. You’ll teach the family member every week and set the schedule between you.
This could involve six one hour sessions per week, or two three hour sessions as an example.
You will need to be sure to adjust your weekday evening and weekend plans to fit in these teaching hours. All classes will be taught at the home of your host family. Nothing needs to be prepared in advance either, the material of the class will be decided by your family.
Some may wish to focus on certain topics, others may wish to look at reading and writing. The member of the family to be taught English will also be decided by the family. Generally this person will be a child or a teenager but on the odd occasion it maybe an adult such as the father or mother of the family.
How is this different to a standard Homestay?
There are three differences between the Homestay and Teach English homestay programs:
1 – Motivation to learn English. In a standard homestay the families do not speak English, and have no wish to do so. However, our Teach English families have at least one member of the family who actively wants to speak English, this is where you come in.
2 – Half Price. Due to the fact you are taking six hours out of your week to teach a family member English, we reward you with a huge 50% off the standard homestay price. All facilities are the same as a normal homestay, the only difference inside the household, is the fact you will teach English. This is therefore an ideal option if you really want to come and learn Chinese in Taiwan, but are on a tight budget.
3 – Distance from the School. Our Teach English host families are located further away from the school so you must factor this into your daily plan. Door to door, the journey time will vary but could be up to an hour.
Vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten free – communicate with us and we will help
Other special dietary requirements also
Teenagers: especially selected families for youngsters
English speaking: If you’d be more comfortable with a family who speak a little English, we can arrange this
As with every single LTL Chinese program in Taiwan, you can book your accommodation for as long as you wish. This also includes before your Chinese course, or after. We’ve listed some popular sample durations but you can book for any duration you wish so just contact us if you have any questions.
NOTE: As always with LTL there are no extra charges or additional fees. You will not be charged an accommodation finding fee, registration fee, high season supplement or any other ridiculous “fees” that some companies come up with.
FOIRE AUX QUESTIONS
80% of students stay with Homestays, but the others?
A number of criteria must be adhered to to become a host family with LTL.
The family itself must be “LTL people”, the must enjoy interacting with foreigners and helping your Chinese along.
English speaking is not something we want, the whole point in a homestay is Immersion.
Alongside this things such as distance from the school, household facilities, the family (and extended family), the food they provide… and many more things.
Everything must be right so you can rest assured that when you arrive, you are in good hands.
Do I get access to a house key?
Absolutely yes.
What about washing my clothes?
All households will have a washing machine.
Either the family will do your washing for you or they will direct you how to use the machine. Do ask them if you are unsure on the situation.
Can I lock my bedroom door?
You will be able to lock your bedroom door, yes.
What about if I want to come home late at night?
Of course this is fine but just respect your host family.
As with any family, if they are asleep they don’t want to be disturbed, especially if they are getting up early.
Can I bring someone back to stay with me?
No you can’t, once again, it’s important to respect your host family and their household.
How will I be matched to a homestay family?
Your registration form that you’ll fill out will tell us your exact requirements.
From here we decide which family is best suited to you, relating to diet, location, smoking and a host of other factors.
Will I receive information about the family before I come arrive?
Sure you will. We will send a document with details of your Taiwan host family which will show names, family members and some pictures of the household.
Can I change homestays?
It is very rare this is asked but it is possible to change host family if you wish.
Please talk to us before, we’ll sit down, weigh up your options and discuss your problems. If there is no solution then we will look for a suitable replacement.
How will I get to LTL Taiwan on Day 1?
Your host family will bring you to school on your first day and take you back home also if you wish. On Day 2 you are on your own but please feel free to ask your host family, or us, for directions. Generally the journey from door to door is nice and comfortable and after one or two days it’ll be a piece of cake. Don’t forget to have Wechat ready with your SIM card so you can send anyone a message if you are a little lost.
TEACH ENGLISH – Will I have to teach all six hours in the first week considering I might be jetlagged?
Your family are perfectly understanding of the situation here.
There is a good chance you’ve just landed from a long haul flight, entered a new culture and had a load of Chinese thrown in your direction.
The first week is generally the most tiring but you and your family can come to a solution regarding your first week. Either way, if you do miss some hours, do make them up for your family.
TEACH ENGLISH – How accurate should my English be to be accepted?
We will chat to you before agreeing to book the program to check your English level. You need a strong level if you aren’t a native speaker.
TEACH ENGLISH – Do I need to bring teaching materials?
No you don’t. The content and direction of the class will be discussed with the homestay family.
Maybe you’ll spend all the time talking and discussing various topics, maybe you’ll help the student practice writing. Either way, there is no need to bring any text books with you to Taiwan.
There are still some things I want to ask, what can I do?
Please get in touch with us if there are some unanswered questions.
Coming to stay with a family in Taiwan is a big deal so you are bound to have some questions. Use the contact button at the top of the page or the live chat feature at the bottom right of the page.
What our students say
Savannah
Australia
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"My homestay family (Sun Xiao Ying and Lin Bai Le) were fantastic and a home away from home for me. I’m really pleased with how much I’ve learned here and would definitely consider coming back."
"I stayed with LTL for 3 months and my experience at my homestay was exceptional. The apartment was clean at all times and Angelina really put effort into keeping it clean. I thank LTL and especially Angelina for that."
"I have been consistently impressed with the quality and variety of dishes prepared by my Beijing family. These range from simple rice dishes with chicken or pork to more elaborate fish dinners"
My homestay family (Sun Xiao Ying and Lin Bai Le) were fantastic and a home away from home for me. They make wonderful food and do their best to make you feel comfortable.
Savannah enjoying dinner with her Beijing Homestay
I became a little ill and my homestay took me to the hospital and waited through the lengthy process with me. When you go out and socialise they make sure you know what bus or train you need to take. As long as you are respectful and helpful to them you will get the same and more in return. They are a great couple and they really take care of you. I will really try to keep in touch with them.
My LTL experience in Beijing was amazing, I came here with around 8 years of middle/high school knowledge of Chinese but every year I managed to be far below the average. I was not confident and I didn’t have enough opportunities to practice and solidify my Chinese. I came to Beijing with little to no confidence in my skill but being in the country and having to learn out of necessity, I surprised myself on my first day having a somewhat flowing conversation with my home-stay family.
You use your skill to communicate with locals but there are some students at LTL who can’t speak your language and you end up having to communicate in Chinese. I’m really pleased with how much I’ve learned here and would definitely consider coming back.
Florian
Germany
Upon coming to China I stayed with LTL Beijing for 3 months and my experience at my homestay was exceptional. I was placed in Angelina’s (a member of staff at LTL Beijing) homestay. When I arrived China I didn’t speak a word of Chinese so I was fairly scared of just being lost in the big city. Angelina saved me on that fear and made my time on Beijing the best time possible.
LTL Beijing students enjoying Christmas
The apartment was clean at all times and Angelina really put effort into keeping it clean and tidy even though her dog – Lucky – wouldn’t always support her on that!! Angelina was a really great help at all times and with all my concerns she’d endeavour to solve them. I didn’t feel lost or worried once during my time in Beijing and now finally feel like I am able to master all challenges of living in China independently.
I thank LTL and especially Angelina for that. Furthermore, the homestay was very flexible and easy going. At first I was concerned what “going back to living with parents” would be like, when it’s been a while since you’ve left your real parents / home. I was surprised how amazingly smooth a good relationship could be established while still living with freedom.
I really enjoyed and loved the experience staying with at Angelina’s homestay and would recommend anyone to take up the homestay option as well unless they have their own apartment to stay in. Personally, I would recommend a homestay over shared apartment. The ability to speak Chinese at the homestay, outside of class is invaluable and really speeds up your learning. I came to love and appreciate the little things about Angelina and her home and I am still thinking back on my time and the many wonderful situations that helped my learning. For that I want to thank LTL and especially Angelina and her boyfriend.
William
Australia
My experience with my homestay has been both beneficial and unique. My Chinese ability has greatly improved because of the immersive environment. I seized every opportunity to interact with my homestay family.
From one such interaction, I learned about the history of the father’s family, as well as his thoughts on the Chinese lifestyle. I also spoke with the daughter about her job, favourite hobbies which are yoga and skiing, and her interest in travel, she loves America for example. Hence, I have had ample opportunity to apply and improve my language skills while living with a homestay family. I also recommend writing down and defining any unfamiliar terms used by your homestay family, as I found this particularly useful for my learning, and was able to pick up common colloquial words.
I have been consistently impressed with the quality and variety of dishes prepared by my Beijing family. These range from simple rice dishes with chicken or pork (very popular in China, expect to eat a lot), to more elaborate fish dinners (we had delicious prawns last night). My all-time favourite food is Xiao Long Bao (steamed meat dumplings). My only issue with food is that they frequently try and overfeed me!! However, I guess if you didn’t enjoy the food you could always just tell them in Chinese or bring your own food into your room (which I have had no trouble with).
Our Beijing students of December 2017
A homestay is more than just interaction, you are living there for an extended period, and a comfortable environment is equally, if not more important. In this regard, I have also been very impressed with my homestay. The apartment is clean, the amenities well maintained, and my room is comfortable for study. Everyday I try to revise what new Chinese content I have learned and there is minimal noise pollution to disrupt me. Yes, I live beside a busy road, but you won’t catch any more noise than any other apartment block in Beijing (it’s a busy city). Moreover, my room is well heated, and the bed (while by no means perfect) is fine.
While I can’t speak for everyone’s homestay experience, I can say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Beijing, facilitated by a comfortable homestay arrangement. The first few days are testing (they only speak Chinese, and you’ve never met them), but that quickly passes as you become more familiar with the environment.
Study Chinese in Taiwan with our small groups classes. Excel and enhance your Chinese language skills with our excellent new school and first class teachers.
LTL Mandarin lessons in Taiwan are designed to get you ahead fast. Speaking, listening, reading, writing, our teachers cover whatever you want to help achieve your goals.
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