a cultural exchange in which a person visiting or temporarily staying in another country lives with a family in the host country. Homestays involve relationships between people and should not be confused with a boarding-house or hotel experience in which a person only rents a room. While students pay their own expenses for room and board, the purpose of an INTERLINK homestay is not just to provide a place to stay but to create an enriching learning experience for both the student and the host family. There are homestays for short periods (one night or a weekend) and for longer times (a vacation period, a term, several terms).