IHPS Homestays asked some of our most successful students to share their study abroad home stay tips and the best advice to our readers who are considering Homestay in the USA and choosing to live with a host family. Read on to learn what tips they share for a positive study abroad homestay experience.
Deciding to study abroad in the USA can be one of the most rewarding experiences for an international student and choosing to live in a homestay for part of your time can allow you to forge lifelong relationships that you will cherish forever. Another huge advantage of living in homestay during your study abroad experience is language immersion.
Your homestay family will be your first exposure to local American life and help you to gain knowledge of local traditions and customs. To get the most out of your study abroad home stay experience, you should make an effort to spend time with and get to know your host family.
Communication
Communication is key! Talking with your host family is so very important and students should do so as much as possible. Additionally, speaking to your host family will improve your language skills quickly and teach you conversational words and phrases. Remember that your hosts want to get to know you as well. Always try to communicate any of your needs, ask for advice, and ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. Do not be embarrassed about your English level and speaking ability. Your host family understands that your English is not perfect, but the more you try the better you will do with your communication skills and your conversational English will skyrocket. You will find that your study abroad experience will be that much richer!
“My host family was very patient with my English. Sometimes I had to write an email because I couldn’t communicate so well in the beginning.”- Jun 2019
Is Home stay living for me?
Living in homestay is not for everyone and there are some responsibilities associated with living in a homestay. You may not necessarily get along with your host family right away. Some students choose homestay for a transitional period for three months before moving into an apartment or the dorms, and others become so comfortable in homestay they choose to live with a family during their entire period in the US. But whether you choose to try homestay for a short or long period, you can greatly benefit from what living in home stay can offer.
“I lived in homestay for three months when I attended Santa Monica College. I really liked my family, but also wanted to live with my friends. I ended up moving to an apartment but still see my host family every so often.” -Kristina 2018
Difference between homestay living and the dormitory or an off-campus apartment
The main difference between living in homestay vs a dorm or an off-campus apartment is living with other students and the cost. Choosing home stay can be less expensive than living an apartment or a dorm. An apartment will require you to lease for at least 6 months or longer and most likely you will have to find roommates. This is hard to do when you are first arriving in the USA. Keep in mind, in bigger cities, apartments will be very expensive, too, and will also require additional expenses such as paying for water, gas, or electricity. Most Community Colleges do not have dorms, so your only option would be a home stay or an off-campus apartment. It’s a good idea to research the housing options your school offers.
Homestay family rules
Also, choosing to live in a home stay while you study abroad will require you to follow some homestay family rules. Homestay living is very different from living in a hotel, your own apartment, or living in the dormitory and every Host Family will have some sort of rules that they will expect you to follow. Being a guest of your host family, you should respect the rules they have set for their home, and always remember that you are living as a guest in their home.
Some rules your Host family may have:
· Calling to let them know you won’t be home, or you will be late for the family dinner meal
· Letting them know you will not be coming home that night to sleep in the home stay (this is important because many hosts will worry about you)
· When is your day to do your laundry?
· How often should you clean your room or bathroom?
· Can you have friends in the homestay when they are not home?
Typically, when students know the host family rules that are set by their host family, their study abroad experience tends to be more positive.
“The house rules were not very different than my own family’s rules in my country.” -Xiao 2019
Meals
Eat with the host family when possible! Our successful study abroad home stay students loved sharing meals with their host families and found this was the single best way of getting to know them personally and to share important details about themselves. If at all possible, try to eat with your family a lot especially at the beginning of your time in homestay. Your schedule may change once you start school and the time to be with your host family might be shorter because of classes and study time.
Typically, breakfast is almost always student prepared and self-served. It’s usually a continental breakfast that can include coffee/tea, juice, toast, cereal, yogurt, or fruit. Dinner is usually prepared by your host family several times a week. If possible, when your schedule permits, ask to help in the kitchen and to prepare dinner dishes. You could even suggest making a special dish from your home country. Host families love this! And, always help clean up after dinner or help wash the dishes. Don’t forget to clean up after yourself in the kitchen if you prepared your own meal, too.
Hanging out with your host family
Host family activities make you feel like part of the family and are often what students remember the most from their study abroad experience! Often times you may be asked to participate in family activities such as going to church, attending a family gathering, going grocery shopping, attending an afternoon sibling sports practice or game or simply watching TV with your host family at night. Whenever possible, try to join your family in an activity. This is such a great way to learn first-hand what American culture is like!
Give home stay a chance when you study abroad in the USA! (You just might love it!)
Whether you get the chance to study abroad in a large city like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, or a small town in Montana or Iowa, choosing a home stay -even for a short period- is a great way to learn local American culture and traditions, conversational English and will help you forge an incredible bond with an American family. Your study abroad experience in the USA will be unforgettable!