Not every school will provide accommodation for the assistant, but ask them if they can help you find something or if someone can put you up temporarily. If not, assistants in the past have arrived a week early and stayed in a youth hostel or pension whilst looking for accommodation.

In your information pack, which you will receive around four to six weeks before departure, you will receive contact details of assistants who were posted to your region last year. Ask them for advice about accommodation.

If you have been appointed to Canada or Latin America, accommodation will almost certainly be found for you, even if only on a temporary basis. If you have been appointed to China, accommodation is usually provided on or near campus.

If you end up having to find your own accommodation, we recommend the following:

			Advertise on the staff notice board
			Buy the local newspaper and call early in the morning
			Check university or other student notice boards
			Go to the local citizens' advice bureau/tourist office and ask if they keep accommodation lists

You can also visit Monetos website for further advice on finding accomodation.

Assistants appointed to German-speaking countries should visit the local Mitwohnzentrale but you may have to pay the agency a fee.

Do not:

			Visit potential lodgings alone
			Advertise your telephone number in public places
			Sign any contract with an agency without finding out if there are any fees to pay
			Sign a contract that does not include a notice period should you wish to change accommodation during the year

If you can't find something immediately, don't panic. The time it takes to find a suitable place to live varies from place to place.

Ask as many people you meet in the first few days as possible. Somebody may know someone with a spare room who has not advertised. Ask other assistants appointed to the same area or town to see if they have found something and if so, how.