One of the first things we look for when making the decision to travel abroad is a place to stay. Initially we think about the destination and the purpose of travel, and when that has been decided we begin to search for that place to call our ‘home away from home’.
For students coming to Malta to study English, this phrase rings particularly true as many of them opt to live with host families. While some people would not even consider sharing their house with an outsider, many others willingly open up their homes and welcome students from all over the world into their family.
Providing accommodation to students, just like owning a hotel, requires rules and regulations, and licensing has been enforced which aims to establish quality standards. Students choose to stay in a family because unlike living in a hotel, they can practice their English continuously through interaction with family members, and the whole experience provides a more intimate and personal atmosphere.
Host family accommodation in Malta has earned itself a particularly bad reputation abroad. More and more students are looking for alternatives to this type of accommodation due to bad experiences they’ve heard about from their peers, and the often exaggerated horror stories published in the media. This sort of bad publicity has a negative impact on the industry as a whole. It adds another element of struggle for language schools in Malta to overcome when competing with other EFL destinations.
A few months ago, we conducted an exercise where we asked our highest rated host families to share their experiences of hosting students so as to gain an insight into the service they provide. These families are consistently praised by our students and we asked them to share their tips and ideas about what students expect and appreciate while living in a family.
· Be a friend to your guests. Take the time to talk to your students and get to know them. They will appreciate the genuine interest and the daily interaction not only makes them feel welcome but also helps them practice their English. Do not have long conversations in Maltese in front of them.
· Make sure that the accommodation is clean, tidy and well maintained
· Offer good quality, varied meals and be generous with portions. Students often complain about the lack of variety as well as poor quality and meager portions. Discuss their dietary requirements and try to accommodate them as much as possible within reasonable limits
· Set rules for the students that apply to the rest of the family. This will help them adapt to your family life and it will make it easier for you to keep your household running smoothly. Students must be made aware of the fact that they are not living in a hotel and they should respect and fit into your family routine
· Take the time to explain things to them and offer advice and information that will be helpful and useful during their stay. Remember, you are their first point of reference and they look to you for guidance
· Their first impression of Malta is usually formed after their meeting with you and a positive first impression will generally set the tone for the rest of their stay
The financial situation facing the world today has forced many businesses to pull their socks up and work harder at providing an improved service to their clients. Diversification and catering to your clients’ needs becomes top priority.
The demand for school residences has increased dramatically. Students over 18 prefer independence during their stay and this type of accommodation is perfectly suited to a student budget. However, the comfort and intimacy of living with a host family remains a popular option with younger students as well as some older ones, providing them with a sense of belonging and security. By working on improving this aspect of the EFL industry we can only strengthen and improve the sector as a whole.
It is times like these that serve as an eye opener not only to what we are offering our clients, but more importantly as to what is being offered by others. This is an opportunity to look around us and work on the overall package being offered to students following a language course. It gives us the chance to build on our strengths and work on our weaknesses. It is important that students are happy with all aspects of their holiday and not just the quality of the teaching.
Kindness and hospitality can go a long way in making their time spent in Malta a positive and memorable experience.
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