FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- How do I apply for a homestay?
- How should I pay the application/placement fees and deposit?
- Can I pay the fees when I arrive?
- What is the application deadline?
- When will I receive my placement information?
- Will I live within walking distance to school?
- When should I plan to arrive?
- What is the weather like in the Puget Sound area (Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, and Olympia)?
- What do I need to bring with me?
- Can a member of my family live with me at my host's home?
1. How do I apply for a homestay?
Complete and submit the online application form and make sure to read the homestay agreement, contained within the application, carefully. You will receive a confirmation that your application was submitted. In additon, we will also email you within three working days. ABODE will review your application before taking any further action.
After ABODE has reviewed and accepted your application, an email will be sent to you from ABODE Homestays containing either a link to make payment or an invoice for payment of the application/placement fees and deposit using a credit card. We are sorry for any inconvenience but we only accept MasterCard and Visa.
3. If I am not in the Puget Sound area now,can I pay the fees when I arrive?
No. We cannot process and work on any application until the fees are paid.
4. What is the application deadline?
In order to provide professional service to you, we need to receive your application as early as possible and at least one month before your arrival in the Puget Sound area. ABODE works on applications on a "first come - first served" basis. Although ABODE does not charge any late fees at this time, late applications will be concidered on a case-by-case basis only. (Please note: On occassion, ABODE may at its discretion stop accepting applications for a given school quarter due to a foreseeable limited availabilty of homestays for a given school. We may open it again depending on our availability and base the acceptance of the application on a case by case basis. ABODE will post a note on the application page if such an occassion arises.
5. When will I receive my placement information?
We generally work on placement assignments (placements are assigned and applicants do not have choices to pick from-ABODE works on placements on a best fit match based on the information in the homestay application and our available host profiles) up to four weeks before a homestay guest is due to arrive in the Puget Sound area. This timing enables us to make the best match between you and available hosts. As soon as the placement details are finalized, we will send you a host profile. You can expect to hear from ABODE about two to three weeks before your arrival or the start of classes at your school.
6. Will I live within walking distance to school?
No. The average commuting time for the schools that ABODE works with is approximately 45 minutes by public transportation and no more than one transfer. Some homestay guests have difficulty adjusting to the lengthy distance and travel time to school, but we make every effort to place homestay guests conveniently according to the school they will attend.
You should also keep in mind that there are plenty of buses during commuter hours (6:30 AM - 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM). During the midday and evening hours, however, buses do not run as frequently. Learning the bus system will be part of the experience of adjusting to life in a new city.
7. When should I plan to arrive?
We will not place homestay guests in homestays more than two weeks before the start of their classes. Most hosts are working families and they are not available during the day. If homestay guests come too early, they tend to get lonely, bored, and anxious, which leads to culture shock and homesickness.
Placements for Fall Quarter usually happen in mid-September. Placements for Winter Quarter are complicated by the Christmas holidays and the New Year holidays; please plan early.
Please refer to the airport pickup blackout days in the Arrival page.
8. What is the weather like in the Puget Sound area (Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, and Olympia)?
The average temperature in the summer is 68° - 75° Fahrenheit (20° - 24° C) and the average temperature in the winter is 40° - 45° Fahrenheit (4° - 7° C). However, the weather changes frequently and can vary a lot from day to day or even hour to hour.
You may have heard rumors that it rains a lot in the Puget Sound area. Most of our rainy days are just cloudy with a slight drizzle, with periods of sunshine too. We usually have nice sunny weather in the summer.
9. What do I need to bring with me?
Please bring a variety of clothing, and prepare to wear layers. If you are from a hot climate, please bring a warm jacket or coat. A rainproof jacket or coat is suggested for the fall, winter, and spring months. A light jacket is recommended for summer.
You should also bring your own personal toiletry items (shampoo, toothpaste, etc). You do not need to bring any bedding or household items for your homestay.
10. Can a member of my family live with me at my host's home?
No, homestays are for the homestay guest only. Most homes are not large enough to accommodate more people, and it interferes with the process of forming a relationship with the host. The student and family/friends will need to stay in a hotel, and we recommend that they all go directly to the hotel from the airport upon arrival. Also, please let us know in advance if family or friends are arriving with the homestay applicant.