Equatorial Tours: Experience family life in Cameroon.

Discover 250 cultures in one country !

Embark on the adventure of a lifetime – become a cultural exchange visitor in a country where cultures is unchanged! You can travel to Cameroon or many other exciting destinations that we have available.

Students can take advantage of summer or semester breaks to travel to Africa and study other cultures.

Would you like to experience life in a small Cameroonian village, see Mt. Mandara when you awake every morning, hike or horse back riding the northern Kirdi mountains with a family as your guide? This program focuses exclusively on the short-term homestay experience and is perfect for participants seeking complete immersion in new culture.

The program offers participants a special insight into the host country’s society through experiencing daily life, customs and values. Participants will discover that people can “learn to live together by living together.” This program is an intensive cross-cultural experience and is not a tour or travel program. There are no outside touring programs organized, and you may not work or attend school during your homestay. You will be received as a member of the family and will be involved in the daily activities of that family. You will also have opportunities to go off and explore the host community independently, so you must feel somewhat comfortable with the host country language and exploring on your own.

One of the nice aspects to the program is its flexibility. You set your own start and end dates for one to four weeks throughout the year, and you may choose three cities or regions of interest as a homestay destination preference. We make suggestion to your preferences, but every attempt will be made to accommodate you in one of your three choices. You may also wish to participate in two consecutive homestay programs in different areas of the country and many family can even accommodate couples!

LIVING WITH A HOST FAMILY

The program focuses on the cultural experience; there is no better way to learn or improve your knowledge about a culture, language than to live with a family and experience every day life first hand. By living with a family; you are given the opportunity to share in meals, conversation and daily activities. You will have your own bed and full board (3 meals a day). Most host families are volunteer families and are motivated by the idea of making cross-cultural friendships. They do not see themselves as a hotel. Most of these families seek to get to know you as a person, hope to continue the relationship after your homestay and some of them often feel a big vacuum after separation. It is a appropriate gesture to take your host family a small gift from your home community or region to thank them for welcoming you into their home.
Host families are carefully selected and screened. Some families have hosted before, but for others it is a first time experience and your family might be a couple with or without children interested in other cultures. All participants must be willing to accept the family matched to them.
Host families are not required or expected to be a tour guide. Within each family you will experience a different dynamic. Typical family activities have often included attending family picnics or visiting relatives, going to festivity with a host family member, enjoying long dinners together, meeting the neighbors over a barbecue, visiting local markets, sites, and city centers together.
We ask that you not travel overnight away from your homestay, but you are certainly welcome and expected to explore the area on your own or with friends you have met in the community. You will be sent your host family details, including name, address, and telephone number along with some general information about the family within a week prior to your departure. Often you will have placement information earlier than that. You should write or call your host family before arrival in order to introduce yourself personally.

LOCAL SUPPORT

A local representative will assist you with all questions you may have during your stay. You will be given the name of the local representative along with your host family details. If you have any questions or difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact your local representative and he or she is there for you.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Upon acceptance to the program, we will instruct you on how to make travel arrangements. Traditionally, all participants fly to a central airport (International Airport Douala ), you will be transfer and spend a night in Douala city for orientation before we join you to host family.

EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Participants accepted for the program are expected to have an interest in other cultures and will participate fully as possible in family life. The program is available for participants with intermediate to advanced language experience for the host country. Although a few host families may speak some English or French, it is expected that participants will make every effort to converse in the language of the host country.

PROGRAM LENGTH

The program are typically available for 01 to 04 weeks, throughout the year and participants are accomodated from 05+.

PROGRAM INCLUDES

Room and board with a screened host family
Support of a local representative
Full accident and health insurance
Ground transportation to host family

PROGRAM DOES NOT INCLUDE

Personal items and pocket money
Independent activities or excursions
Round trip airfare to host country

NOTE

We recommends that participants budget approximately US$500 or Euro385 as spending money for a one-month program to cover additional expenses for excursions, public transportation, telephone calls, souvenirs, emergency funds etc.

DEADLINES

Applications are due at least 6 weeks before your desired program start date. We may be able to accommodate late applications, but they will be considered on a case-by-case basis, especially during the winter months.

FEE

The program fees are estimated accordingly to the length of weeks and adults are require to submit application along with US$ 200 or € 154 deposit to our incoming department.

APPLY TODAY !

If you are interested to the program, please submit your application by using the link contact and we will respond to you immediately. If you prefer to call us, feel free anytime to contact us by phone (00237) 9955801 or (00237) 7050015