HOST FAMILY STORIES
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - CHRISTANSENS
"Having recently discovered the joy of hosting, our family is excited to welcome future host children into our lively and occasionally chaotic life. It has been a joy welcoming other cultures into our home, and watching our three children interact and learn, discovering new customs and languages. This experience has not only opened our eyes to the wider world but has also brought us closer together as a family.
We’ve enjoyed exploring our sharing our beautiful country and experiencing it through fresh eyes, sharing everyday moments, from meals to holiday traditions. It's been more than just an educational opportunity—it's been a heart-warming and rewarding adventure that has made a lasting impact on all of us. Our journey with Your Education has truly been a gateway to the world, fostering a sense of global community and mutual respect."
The Christiansen are a host family in Kirikiriroa - Hamilton
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - CORCORANS
"This is our first hosting experience and it is going very well. We are a family of four, Mum, Dad and two kids, who live on a lifestyle block just outside Whanganui.
Our student has jumped into our crazy life gumboots and all from day one!
The kids are really enjoying having a "big sister" for the first time and our student has had the opportunity to experience things like feeding a lamb at 10 o'clock at night in the pouring rain, camping, taking the rural school bus and having to plan ahead to ensure she can get to her activities without the use of public transport and also wearing a school uniform!
It is quite funny to look back at her arrival on day one, not knowing what to expect or how she would fit in and compare it to now, seven months later, and realise she really has become part of the family."
The Corcorans are a host family in Whanganui
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - CHAINEYS
"We have three daughters and we have both travelled the world. We decided to become a host family as we believed the girls would benefit from learning from different cultures.
Our very first experience was with a teenage lad from Canada. This was different as the girls now had a brother and us a teenager. It was a great experience. He introduced us to his love of sailing and the girls ventured into the sport and today share the love of yachting.
Hosting Japanese students through the girls’ schools has been great and ongoing for years now with our youngest travelling recently to japan to reunite with her sisters.
We are very much looking forward to hosting our new arrival Nina from Germany who will be welcomed into our Whanau (family).
At the recent Xmas gathering of families it was nice to see old and new friends who are also hosting. This is another advantage of hosting - your friendships extend worldwide and within NZ."
Shelly, Alan and Bayley are a host family in Waihōpai - Invercargill
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - CHRISTIANSENS
"We are the Christiansens, and we have been hosting since 2003.
So far we are Mark, Coralene, Timothy, Anna and Jacob, and 21 fantastic host sons and daughters from around the world, though that number is always increasing! Who knows - you may be the next member of our large noisy family! We are a fairly easy-going family, who enjoy having extra people over to share a meal, so there is never a shortage of conversation.
We love being able to give a foreign student the chance to share our NZ way of life, especially our love of the outdoors. We always take our host children away camping to experience this and make the most of our temperate climate. New Zealanders are proud of their sporting achievement - especially rugby - and we encourage all our students to participate in and watch “kiwi” sports.
Life on exchange is all about new experiences and challenges and this is hopefully what you get on exchange with us in New Zealand. "
The Christiansens are a host family in Wanganui
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - GURRS
"Last year our daughter came home from college asking to have an exchange student come to stay with us. After a couple of discussions especially regarding the changes we would need to expect with an extra person living with us we agreed.
Leading up to Antonia arriving we had a couple of Skype sessions, to try and get to know each other a bit better.
Excited, anxious, nervous would be the feelings we all had before Antonia arrived but it took all of about 2 days when she did arrive for us all to relax and know we were all going to have a great 5 months together.
As a host family having an exchange student is something I would highly recommend. The exchange student is someone that is really keen to come and see our beautiful country and learn how we go about our day to day aspects. You learn how every country has small differences but on a whole we all live the same way. Having the exchange student come through Your Education is also a bonus as the student is also here to learn through our education system which we have found also to be beneficial. I think that Your Education and the LAR’s do a great job in matching the exchange students to the prospective host families, and as long as the exchange student is willing to join in with how your family lives their normal lives the experience will be enjoyed by everyone involved.
Antonia did this as our daughter is a rower so we travel quite a bit at the end of summer to rowing regattas, knowing nothing about rowing but as the rowing squad was short of coxswains Antonia joined the rowing squad at the National regatta at Lake Karapiro and coxed a crew to be a U18 Top 10 finalist getting her a New Zealand badge for this.
We are now coming to the end of our first host and we will all be sad to see her go home but we have already started making plans to keep in touch and make a trip to see her at her home with her family - can’t wait!
Every exchange student will be different but all well worth having."
The Gurrs are a host family in Te Waiharakeke - Blenheim
YOUR EDUCATION HOST FAMILY - WILSONS
"We have been relatively new host parents, having hosted two German Students over the last year.
We have thoroughly enjoyed opening our home to these girls. I’ve particularly loved showing them around our area, and a bit further afield. Playing tourist in your own country is so much fun. We’ve enjoyed sharing our culture and food with our students.
Teaching them how to cook and bake our way has been enjoyable. Having young people share our lives again has also been very positive. We certainly will be hosting again in the future."
Wilsons are a host family in Waihōpai - Invercargill