TalkTalkBnb is a social exchange platform.
On the one hand, we have people wanting to practice a foreign language to improve their speaking skills (called “hosts”), and on the other, there are the people wanting to travel economically or completely differently, in contact with locals (called “travelers”).
So, a host accommodates a traveler from a country whose language he wants to practice, with the aim of speaking with them and becoming more fluent in that language.
Similarly, a traveler will receive free lodging from a host living in a city of their choice, in exchange for helping the host speak the traveler’s language better.
It’s a win-win for both sides, which we can sum up as:
accommodation in return for a language course.
The website has an international reach: all languages are represented or shortly will be, and every country in the world will eventually be covered.
For full access to the platform, you have to sign up and have your profile approved by our moderator.
You pay nothing to create your account, it’s free of charge.
You can then choose to be a host, or a traveler, or both. Then, simply look at the profiles posted on TalkTalkBnb.
Select your destination or the language you want to practice, and contact the corresponding hosts or travelers.
If no profile matches your search criteria, you can set an alert to notify you as soon as a profile is posted that matches your criteria.
TalkTalkBnb is totally free to use.
For the host
It’s a unique opportunity to practice a language with a native-speaker, informally (at home, with your family, at mealtime, in the evening, going out, etc.) but very effectively, in immersion conditions.
It saves a lot of money that you would spend on special courses, and lets you meet travelers of all nationalities who may also perhaps become friends, etc...
For the traveler
Staying with a local resident lets you experience local life, discover a country’s customs and traditions, and spend time with people representative of the place you’re visiting, tasting the local cuisine... ideal conditions that few travelers can ordinarily enjoy.
Once there, as a traveler you offer some of your time helping your hosts to speak your mother tongue. You meet new people who may perhaps become new friends at the other end of the world.
You save lots of money on accommodation and meals.
It’s also a very safe way of traveling and in some remote countries, staying with locals is safest.
Your profile photo and all your information can be changed from your Dashboard. Once you're connected, click on your profile photo, then click "Modify my profile" in the dropdown menu. You will see different sections allowing you to update and modify all your information.
An email allowing you to confirm your address was sent as soon as you signed up. Sometimes it ends up in your Spam folder. If you accidentally erased this email, you can request a new one from the sign-in page.
Because we are a free collaborative platform, exchanges depend on the motivation of the members. To increase your chances of an answer, make sure you have a completed profile with photos and as much detail as possible: your interests, your home and city (if you are a host), your travel plans (if you are a traveler), etc. When you send a message, present yourself and explain your idea for an exchange.
We strongly recommend to all our members that they politely reply to all messages, even if they can't commit to an exchange.
Certain members who live in high-demand cities receive a large amount of messages, while others connect rarely, or only when they are planning on traveling.
For these reasons, it is possible you may not have a response to your message.
This is covered under a specific heading: Security.
Normally, the person you welcome will not stay in your home during the day and will instead, visit the city and region.
So, after a breakfast together, you both leave the house and part ways for the day. There will be many things for them to do, whether it is a day trip to a nearby city, museum, etc... There are so many things to discover when traveling!
You can meet up for dinner in the evening to converse in their native language.
That is the concept!
If you are a member, participant or Alumni of Aiesec, you can ask to join the Aiesec circle. The circles pages is accessible from the footer menu or from the Circle icon in the header menu (next to the green house). With a completed and validate profile, you can join the circle and fill in your relevant information. You will receive an email informing you that you've been accepted into the group.
Use the Report an Issue button.
When you use the button, you are anonymously reporting a profile, photo, message, spam emails etc., all that seems suspicious, unethical or immoral to you. You can also report a bug which is interfering with the smooth functioning of the site or any translation errors.
This information will be immediately attended to internally by our team.
We will keep a record of written interactions between us so that we can ensure quick handling of the issue. This will also help us review your interactions with us so that we can provide you with the best possible service.
Yes. All communication by members to us remains strictly confidential.