If you are western, and this is your first trip for a hilltribe homestay (or even just to Thailand), you may experience cultureshock - there are many cultural differences to adapt to - food, dress code, manners and respect, are just a few topics which foreigners can trip up on.
Generally, if a visitor is trying to do the right thing, then the locals appreciate it - so, don't worry too much if you get something wrong.
Heads up - what to expect at your homestay
- Please be aware that you will be staying in someone's home - our homestays are based with a family, or a married couple, depending on who is next on the house rotation.
- We have set standards for our homestays, covering cleanliness, accommodation, and food... but, these are real homes in traditional communities - not model homes, guesthouses or hotels.
- Facilities are basic: squat toilets, cold showers, rudimentary electric power (no power at all in some villages), thin mattresses. Remember to check where the bathroom is before dark.
- Food at the homestay is freshly cooked, and dishes are typically hilltribe fare, not Thai cuisine. Lots of vegetables are used, and the meat is usually pork. Dairy products are not used at all, although eggs are a staple part of the diet.
- The family will probably not sit with you for meals - this is not rudeness, but culture. The family waits until the guests have eaten their fill, before they sit down to eat.
- Chickens, specifically roosters, will likely wake you occasionally through the night. This is rural life, after all.
What is expected of guests
- As mentioned above, you will be staying in a family home. Even though the family is being paid to host you, normal standards of etiquette remain:
- Please go to bed when the hosts do - usually around 21:00 (9pm), as the adults in the household usually get up about 05:00 (5am) to begin preparing breakfast (Don't worry, you're not expected to rise this early).
- Once in bed, please don't talk loudly or for too long, so that the rest of the household can sleep.
- Please do not play cards during your homestay programme. Gambling is illegal in Thailand, and cards are viewed as a form of gambling - this is especially important for families which are stateless (without citizenship) as they are vulnerable to arrest and large fines.
- Please do not get angry, complain, or treat anyone with disrespect - it is completely against the cultures here, and will be viewed with shock no matter how justified you may feel it is. If something occurs which upsets you, ask the guide to contact us so that we can solve the issue tactfully.
- It is the culture, and polite, to roll your mattress up in the morning. The house is generally one large room, and so bedding is packed away during the day.
