Study Abroad and the Host Family Experience

In many study abroad programs living with a host family is required; in others, it is optional. For just about every student, the prospect of moving in with a strange family for three or four months is at least a little daunting. Even if they’re nice and glad to have you with them, you give up a lot of independence.

What has been the recent Macalester experience with host family living? Here are some comments taken from recent study abroad evaluations.

CW, Brazil: “It was awesome! . . . One of the best parts of my experience.”
DA, Brazil: “I was able to speak Portuguese all day . . . plus I was in direct contact with the local culture.”
ER, Brazil: “Homestay was extremely challenging because I had far less independence than I was used to. Also, my parents were almost never home. . . . While it was difficult, I’m glad I did a homestay and not dorm style housing.”

SK, Denmark: “I had a warm, welcoming family that accommodated through homesickness, cultural adjustments, and unexpected illnesses.”
KK, Denmark: Host family was the “most important part of it.”

MM, Morocco: “Living with a host family was the best part of my study abroad experience. It ensured that I was fully integrated into Moroccan society and immersed in the language.”
CR, Morocco: “Living with a host family MADE the experience for me. It would have been less rich and less educational without it.”

LR, Panama: “It was the best part . . . . [T]he rural homestays provided some of the best insights into the life of the country.”

GS, China: “My family was fantastic, extremely welcoming, relaxed, and nice.”
MM, China: “Because the family I lived with didn’t speak any English, I was required to speak Chinese at home, which really helped me.”

ES, Cameroon: “I can’t stress enough the importance of a home stay: crucial for language acquisition.”
EG, Cameroon: “Living with a Cameroonian family means taking a step back your levelof independence, especially if you’re a woman. [But] I’m glad I lived with a host family and would recommend that others do so.”

MB, Czech Republic: “Staying with a host family was a wonderful idea. . . . However, I sometimes wished for the independence of an apartment.”

RS, Senegal: “Living with a host family was an invaluable experience that provided me with the best access and integration possible into the host culture. I would rank it as my number one means of achieving cross-cultural insight.”
ES, Senegal: “It was frustrating at times but overall great.”

KL, France: “Though there were occasional tensions in the household, it was nice to have a home to go back to each day.”
AB, France: The host family “made it much more comfortable.”

KD, Ecuador: “My host family was not a good match and made it much more difficult.”
AP, Ecuador: “It was great! . .  . There were some bumps in the road but in the end we got along very well.”
NM, Ecuador: “The host family situation was great.”
EH, Ecuador: Host family “made the experience fabulous and made me more integrated into the way of life there.”

AE, Mexico: “Living with a host family gave me a comfortable environment to practice Spanish, allowed me to closely observe a middle-class Mexican family, and lessened the stress of living abroad.”

AH, Argentina: “Choosing to stay with a host family was a crucial part of my experience . . . . [It] definitely improved my entire study abroad experience.”
JV, Argentina: The host family “made it an incredible experience.”

RP, Spain: “My particular host family negatively affected my study away experience.”
MB, Spain: “My second host family [the first did not work out well] was absolutely fabulous and the best part of my study away experience. They taught me so much about Spain and Spanish culture."
MD, Spain: "The housing was a good experience, except that my program was really cheap to the point that my host family didn't have enough money to buy me enough food to eat."