SPORTS TOURS INTERNATIONAL encourages American teams to include at least one homestay during their tour. In fact, we have been including homestays in our tours since 1977. There is no better way to make the tour really personal and to learn about another culture than to experience life in a European family. Many have said that it has become the highlight of their tours and produced friendships which have lasted years. Homestays are available currently in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and sometimes in England. Because of our unique relationship with the tournament committees, our European office can secure LIMITED numbers of homestays at many tournaments so that the homestay becomes an integral part of the European tournament experience. Homestays are ALSO available outside the tournament atmosphere where the emphasis is not so much on competition, but on the cultural experience. Friendly games are played against local teams, but sightseeing tours are also arranged to historic locations. Neither our USA nor our European office arranges the homestays directly. Homestays at tournaments are arranged by the tournament itself. The tournament is responsible for the selection of the host families and the placing of players in those families. In tournaments in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, homestays are almost always with local clubs so the American players will stay with players their own age under most circumstances. In England, the homestay can either be with players of a local club or families from the area (which may or may not have soccer playing youth of the same age) as determined by the tournament committee. Homestays arranged outside the tournament atmosphere in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany are ALWAYS arranged through a local club who is responsible for the selection of the host families. Most of these homestays are with functioning teams who have players of similar age, but since the American teams arrive in Europe during the summer and frequently during the vacation period, that is not always possible. Ideally, our European office tries to arrange a homestay with a German or Scandinavian club that precedes or follows the Dana Cup so that both teams share the homestay experience and the tournament excitement together! Before visiting the homestay, we ask that each team member write a one-page autobiography and attach a photo. These are forwarded to our European office which will distribute the biographies to the host club members. Frequently, the European families will write to their future guests so that they are already acquainted with the family that is going to host them. All Scandinavian families speak English as well as the players and many German families also. The Americans are usually housed in pairs, so that nobody is alone, but this cannot be guaranteed. All meals will be with the families and there is plenty of time to do things with the family as well with the group. Soccer is, of course, an important event in a homestay. At tournaments, host families are responsible for getting players to and from games. Sightseeing and other cultural activities are fitted around the game schedule. At homestays outside of tournaments, a mini-tournament, friendly games, joint training and mixed games can be organized. Homestay programs are available mid-June until early August. We recommend that a team spends from three to five nights in a homestay program. We can tell you quite honestly regardless of your feeling about a homestay stay now, once you experience it, most teams look at the homestay as the highlight of their tour. If you want to talk with a coach whose team had a homestay last summer, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL! WE LIKE TO GIVE