Our most recent Host Tip discussed strategies on how to best welcome visitors into your home by making the outside of your residence easily accessible. Making sure your home is properly marked and easy for the new visitor to find will help ease the transition to their new home in Boston. This week we want to talk about another important aspect of welcoming visitors into your home: how to perfect the first House Tour! What should you do when a visitor first arrives to your home? First impressions are important and as always we want both our students and our hosts to feel as comfortable as possible. Most likely the student will be tired or jet lagged upon arrival. The key to a successful first greeting is to find a balance between communicating necessary information while not overwhelming the student with excess information.
- First, show them their bedroom and help them carry their belongings to where they will stay. From there, offer to give the student a brief tour of the home showing them their bathroom, kitchen, living room, and other common areas.
- Depending on their arrival time, many hosts advise having a snack or meal prepared upon the student’s arrival after their long travel day. Would the student like to shower, take a nap, or have a snack before continuing the house tour? Always best to check-in before overwhelming the student with information.
- After the student is settled in, it’s time to talk logistics! Make sure to provide a house key and show the visitor how to use the key and door lock. During this time, also make sure to provide the visitor with any specifics about your home. Is is best to use the front or back door? Is there an alarm system they will need to know how to shut off? Practice each lesson a few times to ensure they feel confident on how to enter the home. Try to remember other nuances of your home as well. Show your student where to place their dishes, how to turn on the shower, how to use the TV, etc. It is also imperative that you exchange contact information with your student so that they know the best way to reach you at all times!
If the visitor arrives late to the home and has to be up early the next day and take public transportation to their daily destination here are a few pointers:
- Do all of the above and when the visitor is settled, discuss public transportation and how to get there from your home. Where can they find the bus stop near your home? Do they have walking directions to follow? If they do not have directions, write down your own for them labeled with landmarks. Will they need a T pass? How do they use it? Will they need to switch trains?
- If a visitor arrives during daylight hours, we recommend accompanying the student to the bus stop and/or train station. We advise discussing house rules during dinner the next evening once the visitor has had a chance to sleep and will be more prepared to absorb new information.
- Lastly, make sure to discuss how to get home, especially if the student will come when it is dark outside, and where to get off the bus, etc. How do they get home and will someone be home when they get there? Walk through every logistical step with them so they know what to expect!
Have hosting tips of your own? We would love to hear your thoughts! Please share your recommendations with us here.
