Students live with Japanese host families in the Kôbe-Ôsaka area and generally take morning and evening meals with the host family throughout their stay in Japan. A major value of the homestay is that it provides students with the opportunity to closely interact with and learn from host country nationals. In addition to taking students beyond the public face of the Japanese people, the everyday speaking and hearing of Japanese in a natural setting facilitates students' understanding of the culture and enhances language learning.