13 HOMESTAY HANDBOOK.pdf - icu．ac．jp - 国際基督教大学

10. Do not use the host family's telephone for calling overseas unless you make a
collect call. To avoid any misunderstanding over paying the telephone bill, make all long distance
and international calls from a pay phone. Your host family will not be willing to accept collect calls
from abroad.
Also, please note that local calls are also expensive. Please do not make too many local
calls and do not talk for a long period of time. If you need to make a lengthy phone call, use a pay
phone. A mobile phone is useful for contacting your family, especially in emergencies. The best
options are either to rent a phone at the airport or to bring your own phone, enabled for use in Japan.
It is very difficult to rent a phone at phone shops away from the airport, and if you are under 20 you
must have someone to act as your guarantor. Your host family or ICU CANNOT act as your
guarantor/contract holder. The mobile phone is your responsibility alone.
11. Do not use your host family’s Internet service without first receiving their permission. If your
host family allows you to access the Internet from their home, make sure to let them know how long
you will be online and try not to use this service continuously. Less than 30 minutes is ideal.
Wireless LAN might be available in some homes however, try not to use Skype, MSN/Yahoo
messenger or other Internet phone or chat services too much. Homestay programs are intended
to provide valuable chances to improve your spoken Japanese. Therefore, we hope you will take
advantage of the opportunities to spend time with your host family rather than chatting on the
internet all the time. Please be aware that computers and Internet are available for SCJ
participants at the university library.
12. Ask your host family how to use the air conditioner and follow their instructions. Usually,
your family will set the air conditioner to 28°C, since the Ministry of the Environment recommends
this. It also saves on electricity. Summer weather in Japan is very hot and humid but do not lower
the temperature without asking your host family. Please do not open the windows when the air
conditioner is on.
13. Your host family may not be happy about friends coming home with you, particularly when
no one else is at home. They may feel especially reluctant for you to entertain members of the
opposite sex or your boyfriend/girlfriend in their home. Please find out how they feel about
additional guests.
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