During the interview of the Basque student and parents, our goal is to set clear expectations of what is included in the cost of the program and what is not. It is important for the reputation of the JOY TEEN English immersion program that American host families and coordinators, as well as the Basque families are of the same understanding and expectations.
This is how we explain it to our Basque families:
Most of the planned activities and outings that the student will participate in will be free, as they are covered under the cost of the program. These activities have the objective of creating relationships between the American families and the Basque students, and may include: BBQ’s, water sports day at the lake, bike rides, hikes, trips to a shopping mall, etc.
Some group activities are not included in the cost of the program, such as paintball, bowling, movies, etc. These activities will be optional but if the student chooses to participate they will need to pay.
The planned group outing to the city will be at the cost of the student: transportation costs, food and any activities such as museums, ferris wheel, etc. Some of the activities available, such as the Duck Tour or a baseball game, is expensive and will be optional and the coordinators/monitors will help provide other chaperoned opportunities in lieu of the costly activity. For example, if the group is in Seattle for the city day, and half the group wants to pay to go on the Duck Ride but half the group doesn’t, there will be an American adult that will go with the group on the Duck Ride, and another American adult that will go with the other group to a less costly or free activity.
As far as housing and food, when the student is with the family, everything is included: housing, transportation, activities, and food, including eating at restaurants. Basically, the Basque student IS one of the family members and is included free of charge in whatever the family is doing.
Exception: personal items or gifts will be the financial responsibility of the student.
If the student participates in an outing or activity without the host family, they will be responsible for paying. For example, if the student goes by himself with friends, with the monitors, etc, the cost of that outing will be at his expense.
We tell the parents to send with the student $300 more or less , depending on the amount of shopping they plan to do. We say that $100 should be sufficient to cover any activities/outings that they will need to pay for, and the rest can be used for spending money. For this reason, expensive outings should not be offered since the Basque families are only planning on spending $100 for additional activities.
** At the orientation meeting in the USA, the coordinators should tell the students that $100 of their money needs to be saved for costs of activities throughout the month.
It is important to help the student understand the costs of the outings that will be offered in that HBC throughout the month. Although the idea is to have surprises, and therefore not share the calendar with them, the students do need to have an idea of what the upcoming costs may be. This way the students can budget and save the money for activities planned later in the month. If not, the student will spend all their money up front and be frustrated at the end that they cannot participate in optional group activities.
Maybe the students can vote on outings they want to accomplish/do during the month that would be outside of the planned, family activities.
** Also, before every activity, the student needs to be told whether the activity is required or optional, whether it is free or at the expense of the student. If the event is required, it should be free.