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LIVING IN SYDNEY
- Interesting Facts
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ACCOMMODATION
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HOMESTAY

- Information for Homestay Families
- Gold Coast Homestay Information

Cost
Living with an Australian family in Sydney costs $220 per week. Click here for Gold Coast prices.
This includes a furnished room, breakfast and dinner all week, plus lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
The family can do your washing for you.
If you would like a private phone-line for making calls and using the internet, arrangements can be negotiated with the family.

Benefits
Living and talking with an Australian family will help improve your English.
You can also learn a lot about Australian culture.
You can participate in family activities such as parties, playing sport and going out.

Cultural Considerations
Australian families and households are democratic institutions where people share duties and responsibilities, so you may be expected to help with chores such as washing up, gardening and keeping your room tidy.
Australians are usually early to bed, so try not to cook, shower or use the phone after 9pm.
Families pay for utilities, so please be considerate - keep showers short, and don’t leave heaters on all night.
Many families have pets - dogs, cats, birds and rabbits.

To maintain harmony in the household:
- be friendly, smile
- follow household rules
- keep you room and living areas clean and tidy

Placement
MEC homestay placement costs $100.
If you want to leave/change homestays you must give 2 weeks notice.
Students will be found other accommodation free of charge if circumstances surrounding the dissatisfaction with the homestay are deemed reasonable.

Student writing:
My Homestay Family
by Lois

Last week, I moved to my home stay, which was very exciting for me. There are two kids in this Australian family and both area younger than me. They area so friendly to me and we get on very well with each other. Of course they have a pet, a handsome dog named Ned. He is so well behaved that I thought I wouldn't be afraid of dogs any longer. And at night he always sleeps outside my room, hence I feel very safe.

Last weekend I ate the famous Aussie Barbie at last. It made a great impression on me because the barbie is one of the local foods in Australia. If you eat something with different sauces it will taste better. We sat around the table, having lunch and chatting.

Also, I ate a kind of dessert named a pancake . I added sugar , lemon juice and honey on it. I thought that it was very delicious so I hope my home stay mother will cook these things for me again.

After having the lunch , I swam with my new friends. We played a game, which is called Marco Polo. It was so interesting and lasted about two hours. I had a good weekend last weekend and my level of English is improving. I love living here and seeing everything.

Try something new ...

Learn about a new culture...

Living with an Australian family is good for your English and it's fun.

The Maewill Trust trading as Maewill English College
Telephone: 61 2 9939 4311 Fax: 61 2 9939 4960
Address: Level 2, 14 William Street, Brookvale, NSW 2100, Australia
Website: www.mec.edu.au
CRICOS provider code : 01558j

General Enquiries: principal@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Portuguese: cynthiam@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Spanish: ayelenc@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Russian: mfreilikh@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Japanese: yukon@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Czech and Slovak: jarkaf@mec.edu.au
Enquiries in Hungarian: info@aiec.hu