Choosing a homestay placement in Nagoya
You are a Year 11 student who has just been accepted into a three-week exchange to Nagoya. The school offers two homestay placements. Family A lives in a four-bedroom house with two parents, a grandmother and a Year 10 daughter; the walk to school is 25 minutes and the family has a dog. Family B lives in a small apartment with a single mother who works night shifts and a Year 12 son; the trip to school takes 45 minutes by subway and bus. Your Japanese teacher says Family A's daughter is quiet and rarely speaks to guests, while Family B's son is talkative but often out at club activities until 8 pm. You have mild dog allergies, you want to practise speaking Japanese as much as possible, and you get anxious when you are alone in a new city after dark. Your parents prefer a shorter commute but worry about the night-shift mother.
1. Which placement best balances your language goal, your health needs and your parents' concerns? Justify your choice using the details given.
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Family A is the stronger overall fit, though not perfect. Language goal: neither home guarantees conversation, but Family A has more people at home in the evening (two parents, a grandmother, a daughter), which creates more chances to speak Japanese than a household where the only other person is a mother on night shifts. Family B's talkative son is a point in its favour, but if he is at club activities until 8 pm, his availability is limited. Health: the dog is a real cost. Mild allergies are manageable with antihistamines and by keeping the bedroom door closed, but this must be raised with the school before departure, not on arrival. Parents' concerns: the 25-minute walk is safer and simpler than a 45-minute two-leg commute, and it means you are not alone on public transport after dark. The night-shift mother in Family B also means less evening supervision, which is exactly what worries your parents. Conclusion: choose Family A, request a pet-free sleeping area, and ask the school to arrange a short daily conversation routine with the grandmother.
2. Write three polite questions you would email the host family before accepting, and explain what each question is designed to find out.
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- ペットと寝る部屋は分けてもらえますか。 - This asks whether the dog can be kept out of the sleeping area, testing whether the allergy can be managed without changing placement.
- 夜、家族と話す時間はどのくらいありますか。 - This asks how much evening conversation is realistic, testing the language-practice claim rather than assuming it.
- 学校まで一人で行く日はありますか。 - This asks whether you would ever travel alone, testing the safety concern directly. Each question is short, uses polite form (〜てもらえますか／ありますか), and asks for a fact the family can answer easily. Avoid yes/no questions where a detail would be more useful.