Winterbreak trip, need host family
 

I've been trying to self study japanese for a while, and i decided this to go over this winter break for a week of 2 or 3 to go check out some universities and to get a taste of the culture.
My penpal promised me that a friend of him would be able to take care of me, but before any planning began, he had to move to america to take care of his ill father, i haven't heard from him since, this is more then 2 months ago.

I've been having lots of trouble finding new contacts, in the end i went looking for organizations, but they would either demand insane fees ( i'm not paying 3500 euro for 2 weeks !!! ) or they would offer things similar to a bed and breakfast, which is not what i want, if i want to sit in a small hotel i'll go to france...

Today i came across this site, which i hope can help me with this issue ( and hopefully any other help i'll need in the future, whether it's with the language or any other advices such as studying abroad ).

I'd simply like a casual family who would be willing to take me in as a member for a week of 2 or 3.

Dates are ranging from 17 december to 3nd of january, perhaps a week added to it before or after...

I'd prefer somewhere on the countryside, as i dislike big cities.
I'd also like to visit Hyogo, as i know they have the Hyogo university of Teacher education there ( My dream is to become a teacher in japan ).

Hopefully anybody can help me out with this, if i get a confirmation from a host family, i can book the ticket and it's all set.

If required, fees are negotiable.
Best regards, Robin de Wit, 18 years old, Netherlands.
I already had a long discussion with my parents about it, and they finally agreed i may go, so it would be a shame if i wasn't able to and miss out this chance the most beautiful country in the world. ( in my honest opinion ).

PS:
This is my last year of high school, in the netherlands we have a weird education system.
So i must still check if i either have to do a year at a "hoge school" here to get university access or that i have it already... ( reason i say "hoge school" is as it means high school, in english, but the english equivalent of high school is the middle school in our country" ).
If i want to go to university, ( i want to become a teacher ), i must attend 1 year at such a 'high school' to get what we call a propadeuze, this means you may go to university, that way you can in the end even give class at universities, if not, i would only be allowed to university.
Although if i would say go to america or canada, my HAVO diploma is sufficient.
So i'm still waiting for my reply from the ministery of education on whether or not my diploma will be sufficient for studying in Japan, else it'll just be an extra year ^^.

One of the problems you are going to run into is that you want to stay over the New Years Holiday, which is a family time when people spend 12/31-1/3 basically at home relaxing. It may not be a time when people are wanting to be holed up with strangers.

I'll just pray there is an exception, else i'll won't be able to go untill the summer.
Also it's more of a required for myself as i'm uncomfortable applying to a place i've never been before.
It would just ease me to say "I've visited your university at **** and would like to apply" then just randomly going there.
And as a lot of people say, i should really get a taste before making my final decision.
I did come across this:
Homestay Japan-Japanese host family
On which 2 weeks would come at around 400 euros, but is it a smart move to go ?
Also, should i still wait with this offer for a little longer and keep searching and then contact their website or just try and apply right away ?
If it isn't totally rejected, i won't want to apply to it too late/at the last minute.

Thanks in advance anyway.

Why don't you just come back on the 30th and go a little earlier? While it would be nice to spend new years in Japan, if you find that no families are willing to put a stranger up during then, this would be a compromise to ensure you get to see those universities before applying :)

The only thing I'm wondering about is Christmas (I know they don't quite celebrate it in the same way as most countries, but it might still be a problem?)

I'd be totally fine with leaving the 30th, i'm only stating that is my available time and i prefer the longest stay ofcourse ^^.
Thing is i'll probably add the extra week up front if possible anyway, which means it'll be from 10 december instead of 17 ( still have to deal it out with my school, which is why i'm not calling that final yet ).
But i'm calling it a night, hopefully when i check back tomorrow someone is interested.

Something seems odd about that homestay site.

What schools are you planning on visiting while you are there?

Anything within a days reach.
The universities themselves are really slow in replying.
Currently i'm simply just asking them for information, but if i knew a location where i was staying, i could then look for schools within range and contact them to notify them if i can drop by for a day.

Quite, besides they offer the dates, they have an extremely high fee....
25 euros a night isn't really expensive, but the 150 euro fee to apply is...
That would make it be around 600 euros for me, and they don't even pick you up at the airport and bring you back.
"They give instructions on how to get there..."
Really a last resort...
Though you must apply 1 month prior, so that would be me filling in at either 14 or 17 october, depending on the answer of my school.
Really pray anything else comes around the corner.