Why are host families so important?
Host Families are integral to the success of our annual Travel Program.
Host families strengthen our relationship with our big sister organisation, the Australian School of Performing Arts. Connecting Australian Girls Choir (AGC) choristers, their host families and g-oz participants, make the hosting experience extremely popular. So far, 69 separate families have hosted g-oz girls participants, and 11 families have hosted twice!
A special relationship
The lasting relationships formed from hosting makes this part of the trip so special. For host families, it is the start of an ongoing relationship. A host family from Brisbane expressed:
“We all loved being involved as a host family for g-oz and getting to know the girls while they were in our care. We still reflect on the fun times we had during that week”.
Known as a ‘two way learning experience’, hosts connect with the girls and learn about the different cultures that make up Australia. For the g-oz participants, it’s an opportunity to connect with their host families, and experience life in the city. Building these relationships is a part of the travel program our participants particularly look forward to.
An ongoing connection
After the 2018 Melbourne Travel Program, our participants where overwhelmed with gratitude for their host families being kind, funny and welcoming. New friendships where formed that will extend well beyond the Travel Program week. For our upcoming Travel Program, one of our host families have an ongoing connection with a g-oz girl from Carnarvon. They have kept up to date with each other’s lives through social media, and the family have also visited Carnarvon to see her. The connections formed during our travel program are incredibly unique and ongoing, despite the distance and cultural differences.
This year’s hosting experience will be particularly unique. This year, AGC choristers participated in our first Shining in the Kimberly tour. After being welcomed to the home of girls from Halls Creek, Sydney choristers will have the chance to return the favour. The opportunity to bridge the gap between different part of Australia through host families is why this model will always be a part of our Travel Programs.
We hope our 2019 hosts are excited to meet and connect with our wonderful g-oz participants when they embark on their trip to Sydney in November!
