Making yourself familiar with the foreign customs and adapting yourself to their lifestyle and culture will help bridge the cultural gap between you and your hosts. Occasionally students have complained that they had little contact with their family. It is not reasonable that your hosts be expected to change their lifestyle or their daily routine during your visit. It may be an apartment or a house. The occupants may be a family with children, a retiree living alone, or a young professional with a room to let.
Some people are always busy, out and about.
Others seem to always be home. The school housing coordinator selects homes. Their primary concern is safe, reliable housing. All homes are paid. However, compensation is invariably low in reference to hotels and the cost of living in that country.