host families
ALL FAMILIES MAKE A GOOD HOST FAMILY...! Single parents, families with children, empty nesters, retired couples and families with no children. What's important is a warm, welcoming spirit and the care you'd give your own family.
Become a Host Family…and earn tax-free income for your spare room
Language Travel Tours welcomes caring host families who have a spare room for 2, 3 or 4 pupils at a time for short stays of 4-6 nights.
We currently have families in Stonehaven and also in surrounding areas such as Bervie, Catterline, Johnshaven, Gourdon, St Cyrus, Auchenblae, Laurencekirk, Newtonhill, Portlethen, Netherley, Montrose, Kingswells and Aberdeen. Host families do not need to live in a city, town or village – rural dwellings are fine too.
For longer homestays (students who come for 1-4 weeks and are taught by an EFL teacher) we have families in the wider Aberdeenshire area such as Ellon, Huntly, Aboyne, Keith and Insch.
Make a Difference by Hosting
“Just dropped off the last of my French students for the season. They have all been a joy! I learned a lot from them and (I think) they had a great time learning about Scottish culture. It’s an enriching experience, welcoming young students whom you have never met into your home. Taking time to talk and gain knowledge is a 2-way street. I feel uplifted and proud! And have improved my French too”
Michelle Fraser, Family Host
What’s involved in short stay hosting
(4-6 nights)?
Pupils are out in the daytime touring with their teachers, so the following is required:
Drop off the pupils at 8.00 and collect them at 19.00 from Stonehaven or Inverbervie
Provide full board accommodation (breakfast, packed lunch, evening meal)
Provide a Home Away From Home experience
Provide spare beds (pupils can share a room).
Host Family Profile:
Team Fraser
Family Name: Team Fraser
Family Members: Ross, Michelle, Oliver (10 year old), Kitty (7 years old) – part time
Do you have any pets?: Yes, we have Bubba the Pug, and Daisy the toy Lhasa Apso (both are very little and cute, who love cuddles, walks and food).
Do you have any children?: We met in 2013, Ross already had 2 children, Oliver and Kitty, they stay with us regularly. We enjoy having a calm and friendly approach to family life and accept people from all walks of life. If our children are happy then we are happy!
What do you do Michelle?: I am a town planner for the Local Government, I work with communities and other people / agencies to find the best places to build houses and make land for employment in Aberdeenshire.
What do you do Ross?: I am a self employed Health and Safety consultant within the Oil and Gas industry. I work offshore sometimes making sure everyone is safe. I am fortunate that it is just for a few days at a time, because I love being at home with my family.
Please tell us a little bit about where you live: We live in a beautiful old farmhouse halfway between Stonehaven and Aberdeen. Our house was built in approximately 1860, but when we found it, it was derelict so we have made big changes since we moved in. We love our home so much! It is now a 4 bedroom 3 bathroom home, with lots of the original features that we wanted to keep.
How long have you been hosting and what has it meant to you?: This is our 3rd year hosting, we have hosted many students from ages of 11 years to 18 years, many of whom we are still in contact with regularly. We won’t deny that when our friend invited us to get involved with hosting, we were sceptical. Since getting on board, we have found joy and fulfillment and we will continue to enjoy this experience and hopefully give the students a ‘wee piece’ of Scottish life.
Do you have any funny memories you would like to share?: There are too many to recount them all. Firstly I would love to point out what an awesome experience it has been for Oliver and Kitty to meet students from other countries. They have thoroughly enjoyed meeting them all. Our funniest moment (one of many!), was when I encouraged the boys to order their Domino’s pizza from the English menu and they didn’t realise that they ordered the one with all the chillis on it! Michelle won the 7 chilli challenge and I think they were quite impressed! Lots of trampolining, football and fun too!
Anything else to add?: You don’t know until you try! We LOVE IT! Happy hosting, and we are happy to chat to anyone who is considering giving it a go.
What are the Benefits of Hosting?
Fun and rewarding
Valuable extra income that’s tax-free
An opportunity to create long-lasting, international friendships
Connect with a friendly and experienced network of local host families
An educational experience for you and your family
Life-changing for the students who come
Get invited back to the home country of your student…sometimes!
Learn French for free with our resident French teacher.
A guide to being a host family in Aberdeenshire
All that you need to know before being a host family in Aberdeenshire. If you’ve never hosted an overseas student before, you may be wondering
Can my family host a foreign student?
Often families are apprehensive when they first consider hosting a foreign student and question whether they’ll be suitable. In this article, we address some of