TOP 5 REASONS STUDY ABROAD STUDENTS SHOULD STAY WITH A HOST FAMILY
By: Natasza Tarnowski
When given the choice to live with a host family or in a dorm room, I thought to myself that living with a host family would be the best option. After only a few days of studying abroad in Italy, I knew I had made the right decision. With some stories and personal experiences, here is a breakdown of the top 5 reasons I believe students studying abroad should opt to live with a host family.
REASON #1: EXPERIENCING HOME-COOKED AUTHENTIC MEALS
The first and main reason which stands out to me is the fact that living with a host family gives you the best exposure to home-cooked meals. This was especially important for me, as I am studying the mediterrenean diet. Each and every night I have received different meals and rarely have I eaten foods I normally eat back home in Canada. The exposure to new foods has been not only delicious, but also educational in a sense, since I am learning all about new foods. One night, I was told I would be having a burger. As I started to eat, I was surprised to not even have a bun for my burger. I was even more surprised when I was told I was eating horse meat! My host family then explained to me how horse meat is extremely healthy and full of iron, which was interesting. On another night, I was served sardines (blue fish) as well as sole fish. The only difference to a typical fish meal, was that the fish still actually looked like a fish, with the skin and eyeballs still intact. My host family explained to me that the sole fish comes from the Adriatic Sea, which is why they have a more salty taste. These are only a few of the many examples where I have experienced new foods and, at the same time, learned more about those foods thanks to my host family. In addition to the food itself, dining with an Italian family has also allowed me to experience true Italian family dinners that are somewhat different than what I am used to, such as starting dinner later in the evening, eating slowly, drinking wine, and having great conversations.
REASON #2: UNDERSTANDING A NEW FAMILY DYNAMIC
The second reason why a student studying abroad should live with a host family is because it opens your eyes to a new set of values and systems within the family dynamic. In my experience, living with a host family composed of two children (one 4 year-old and one 7 year-old), I have noticed several similarities as well as differences in comparison to my childhood. One major difference is how late the children stay up. Since we don’t have dinner until around 8:00 pm, the children head up to get ready for bed around 9:30/10:00 pm, and don’t actually fall asleep until 10:00/11:00 pm. Another difference is that the parents do not need to prepare school lunches for the kids. My host mother told me they get lunches made for them every day! On the other hand, I also noticed many similarities, such as how the parents discipline the children and how the brother and sister interact.
REASON #3: HAVING A SUPPORT SYSTEM
Studying abroad can be overwhelming, especially if you cannot speak the language, or if you do not know your bearings. Living with a host-family gives the student access to a resourceful outlet for any questions they may have. Since the first day I met my host mother, she has been extremely helpful. Particularly for me, as a student-athlete, my biggest priority during my time abroad was to find a gym to work out. As soon as I arrived she helped me find the gym I wanted to go to. She even entered the gym with me to make sure the fitness attendant spoke English and understood my needs. Afterwards, she bought me bus tickets and showed me which bus to take and where to get picked up. Essentially, she made me feel right at home as soon as I arrived. My host parents have also given me great travel tips for the local area as well as other places within the country.
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REASON #4: ENJOYING A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
A major advantage of living with a host family is that it is an experience that is unique. The beauty of this is that no one else can experience what you are experiencing, and others living with host families can share their own unique experience with you as well. Living with a host family creates opportunity for great stories and great conversations with my classmates, my friends back home, and my own family. I personally have something new to share with my classmates everyday about many things such as what I had for dinner, how wild the kids were the night before, or even what new words or expressions I learned from my host family.
REASON #5: EXPLORING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY & LEARNING NEW METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION
Another benefit of living with a host family is that it allows you to explore new places you normally would not have had the opportunity to visit. At first, I was disappointed that my host family’s house was far from the city centre with all of its activities. However, I quickly realized that it was actually very nice to be in my own little neighbourhood outside of the city centre. In fact, the street I live on is quite beautiful and I would not have experienced life in this type of area if I lived in the city centre. Furthermore, living outside of the city centre has forced me to experience other methods of transportation. I have walked, received rides from my host family, used the city bus, and even used a bicycle that my host family lent me. There is something very fun about biking around in Italy that makes me feel like I’m more of a local and less like a tourist. It’s just not quite the same as biking back home!