Safety when living with other people
If you are living with other people, talk to them about setting some house rules, such as locking up the house when you are out, having friends over, when and what type of parties you will hold, your household policy on alcohol and smoking, and so forth.
If you are in a Homestay, you are fitting in with an existing family, so many of these rules will already be in place - you just need to make sure that you know them! Your Homestay family will tell you many of the rules, but if you are in doubt or if they leave something out - ask them. If you feel unhappy or uncomfortable at home, have a friendly chat with your Homestay parents about it. If you don’t want to discuss the matter with them for any reason, speak with an International Student Advisor at your school, college or university.
If you are sharing accommodation with housemates, make sure you talk with them early on so that you get off to a good start, and keep talking with them regularly to let them know if you have any problems or to make sure they are happy with how things are going. If you feel unhappy or uncomfortable at home, have a friendly chat with your housemates. If this doesn’t work or if you don’t want to discuss the matter with them for any reason, speak with an International Student Advisor at your study institution, who will be able to help you clarify the issues and refer you to appropriate help if necessary.
Last updated 19 October 2007
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