Email or phone your partner as soon as possible. Let them know some information about you and your family so they will be aware of who they will be staying with.

GIVE THEM YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS so that their parents will know where they are and how to contact them.

Make them feel welcome and comfortable from the moment they arrive.  Dutch people, including children, are used to shaking hands when they meet both adults and other children. If you smile shyly, shuffle your feet and grunt hello at them when they arrive they may not recognise this as British reserve or youthful coolness but think you aren’t happy to see them.

Every family, British and Dutch has its own way of doing things e.g. taking shoes off in the house or not. Make sure that you let your partner be aware how you operate in your family because they won’t automatically know. An example of a problem we had in a previous year was when one girl was staying with a family who were used to all showering in the morning whereas her family was used to showering in the evening. When she wasn’t offered the opportunity to shower in the evening she was upset but was too shy to say. If there is going to be a rush for the use of the bathroom at any time, such as the mornings, let them know when they can use it without getting in the way.

Remember that you are the host and it is up to you to make the most effort to make them feel comfortable. Their English is very good but some of them may seem very quiet at first. Don’t forget they are speaking a foreign language and imagine how you would feel if you were having to speak in French or German so help them out.

You may want to offer them the opportunity to ring home to say they have arrived safely. You will probably want to do the same when you go over there.

They may not be familiar with all the food that we take for granted as normal so don’t take offence if they don’t seem to appreciate everything you cook for them. I’m sure that when you return to the Netherlands you will come across unusual food too. Simple things like the food that we eat for breakfast vary greatly so you may need to explain what you have and how you eat it. Don’t worry if you think you are patronising them a little, they will appreciate that you are trying to look after them. If you are very lucky they will bring you “hagel slag” and you will soon learn to enjoy the pleasure of melting flakes of chocolate on your toast!

Do make sure you remind everyone in your household that you have a visitor. If your older brother, for example, has the habit of wandering round the house in his underpants you might like to ask him to refrain while your guest is here to avoid embarrassment.

Don’t stay up too late especially on the days when you need to get up early the next day. We will be doing work and we don’t want any one being grumpy (especially me!).

You will need to work with your partner during the day so stick with them and don’t abandon them to go off with your friends. If you are with your friends make sure you involve them in what is being said. Their English is very good but they may not follow a conversation between you and your friends if you are talking quickly. Definitely avoid giving them the impression you are talking about them.

On the other hand they may want to go off and talk to their friends in Dutch. Give them a break they’ve been trying to understand everything in a foreign language while they’ve been with your family so don’t feel abandoned. Also don’t feel paranoid if they appear to be talking about you. They may well be but its fairly natural that they will be sharing their experiences with their friends and it doesn’t mean that they are being rude about you.

When they first arrive they may well be tired from their long journey. They will probably have been snacking for much of the journey but they may not have eaten a meal so you might like to offer them something.

Make sure they know where the toilet and bathroom are in your house.

They will probably have brought you presents. I’m sure you will appreciate them.

If you are going out about town with your partners be sensible to avoid being split up from them. They may want to go off with some of their friends but is essential that you stick together as you are responsible for them and they do not know their way around town. You can exchange mobile phone numbers but be aware some of their phones may not work over here and with those that do ringing them will be making an international call so expensive.

However tough, cool, wicked, hard , bigged up ( oh yes I’m hip with yoof culture) or whatever your partner may appear to be please remember this may will be one of their first times away from home and in a foreign country. They may well be homesick. Imagine how you would feel and then remember it will be you going over to live with their family in four months or so.

You will of course be thinking that most of what I have said is obvious and common sense, which it is. However experience has taught us over the last few years that when people have had worries or been upset it has been little obvious things behind the problems. Let me know if you have any worries, don’t let it become a big problem first. I am sure you will have none but if you do please do contact me and I or one of the Dutch members of staff will be able to sort things out.