In my travails in the homestay world, l have come across a couple of interesting tales that were either too funny or too horrid from guests and hosts alike. Most of them arose due to inadequate preparation, poor communication, high expectations or just downright scams. In this blog, l attempt to lay out a few pointers which shall assist host families in their quest to run awesome homestays.
Learn about hosting from friends and MH
Before opening up your home to potential guests, it’s wise for host families to ask themselves if they are willing to welcome guests into their houses for an extended period of time which may be as short as a few days or last a couple of months. This is especially so as visitors such as missionaries, volunteers or students are usually in the country for months on end and homestays are favoured due to the enriching accommodation experience that they present. See 5 Reasons Why Homestays Offer the Best Accommodation Experience to get what am talking about.
At the same time, ask some of your friends or colleagues who have hosted before on the overall experience, how they prepared for it, how their first hosting visit was, how they handled the unexpected, the good (the bad & the ugly) of it and all you can get out of them. Lastly, consult the homestay enthusiasts at Msengoni Homestays who will also pepper you with their own homestay tales leaving you without a doubt that hosting is the way to go.
Furnishing the guest room
Now that you are psyched mentally, the next important part is preparing the guest bedroom which shall be the primary abode of the visitor. This should be a breeze as most guests want a comfy bed and clean bedding, a wardrobe for their clothes (mostly for long-term guests), a chair and study table (a necessity for students) and a bit of privacy (though some guests may opt for shared facilities with other guests). Just note that many of the amenities listed may not be that big a deal if you opt to host couch surfers.
Karibu | Welcome | Wilkommen | Khosh Amadid
Once you’ve confirmed when your guest will be arriving, focus shifts to easing her/him into the family fold. Nairobi host families may choose to pick up visitors from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and create a friendly rapport between the airport and homestay. This time can also be used to address general queries and concerns that may not have arisen earlier or were not necessary at the time. Back home, your guest may opt to freshen up and relax as they settle into their surroundings and contact loved one’s that they arrived safely.
A ready Kenyan flavoured meal for the guests to tuck into should they be up to it (tihihihi) would surely be welcome.
Playing charades to laugh and communicate
Now that you’ve both gotten used to seeing each other early in the morning, communication is paramount as it will help surmount most of the issues that may crop up. Differences in culture and upbringing will more likely than not lead to interesting disagreements though they should all be embraced as part of the hosting culture. Emphasis should lie on talking about all matters with the guest so as to resolve them.
Most guests that you host will speak English or at least understand enough so as to communicate their queries & needs but should it come to a head, then use sign language or better yet play charades regularly so as to sync with each other. You could always use a pocket Dictionary though...
Kenyan Homestays...Everyday is an Adventure
Lastly, remember to have fun and enjoy good moments with your guests. This can only come about if you put time and effort into communicating and bridging the cultural divide that lies between you and seeing it as a learning experience which you will put into use when hosting future guests.
Most important of all, see (rather make) everyday as an adventure that just gets you going and fills you with verve and drive to welcome more guests to your homestay and experience it as a Western movie.
These are some of the basic tips that are necessary before opening up your homestay to the world. More tips are on the way so stay tuned (does that sound like a commercial break, hmmh!).
Whatever else you do, please share with others!
