Homestay is a residence where a local host family, who offers furnished accommodations to students or newcomers. The primary homestay caretaker should be able to provide support and guidance. Therefore, homestay becomes a more suited option for international students and young travelers than leasing expensive apartments.
A large number of colleges and schools make homestay a requirement for international students to stay with local host families. At the homestay, the host family familiarizes the student with the local area — the student practices speaking the language with family members too.
International homestay agency offers student housing placement services, like the search for a homestay, student introduction to host family, and booking accommodations in advance.
The Benefits Of Staying In A Homestay
Aside from taking care of a student’s problem with finding student housing and helping in learning the local dialect, there are other advantages to homestays. The following will show you why you ought to explore this accommodation option while traveling to another country to study.
Learn Some Significant Cultural Practices
Living with a local family would open you to many unique experiences, such as wedding traditions, birthdays, holiday celebrations, and other simple day-to-day life. These are things you are less likely to learn when you stay in student rooms in the dormitories or private lofts.
Experiencing firsthand the traditions of the locals is one of the most natural approaches to learning more about the new society you are in and making you feel comfortable in it. Before you even notice it, you become well-acquainted with some of the customs of your host country that you can pass as one of the locals.
Have Good Guidance and Information
People who open their homes to the homestay program are often curious by nature. You would be urged to ask for whatever information from their simple way of life to their cultures and traditions in the community. And this would be something that you will find quite exciting. On the other hand, you must also be ready to answer questions regarding your homeland too. Talking about stuff like this would surely make you feel more comfortable and welcome.
Quickly Immerse Yourself in the Local Customs
Living with a family would also provide you with a remarkable opportunity to live like local people in a specific community. If you are quite the curious type, this would be a brilliant opening to start exploring various aspects of your personality.
You would learn many things about yourself that you have never known before. For example, you would find how quickly you can adjust to another culture as you attempt to immerse yourself in it. So you should always try to be a part of the usual family weekends.
Get a New Local Family and Make Friendships
One of the best advantages of the homestay program is that you instantly gain another family. If you get along with your host and you both feel mutually comfortable, this new location will soon become your second home.
Often, students that choose a homestay will have beautiful stories about family and love that are sure to warm the heart. The relationships shaped throughout your homestay will undoubtedly develop your life as an exchange student. These are lifetime connections with bonds so firm that you are probably going to travel back to see your foreign family again long after you finish school.
Taste Homemade Dishes and Local Cuisine
If you selected to include meals as a part of your homestay experience, you get the chance to eat the food prepared by your host. Even though it might take a while to adapt to different foods and recipes, once you get used to it, you will find this a fantastic experience.
You are maybe fortunate to eat homemade food rather than make your meals or choose to dine outside — all which can be quite expensive on your budget. Nevertheless, you could spend valuable time preparing meals when you need to use your time to meet your school deadlines.
These are only some of the many benefits of the homestay experience. You will soon discover these benefits of staying in a homestay outweigh any disadvantages — all which will make you hesitate to leave your host family.
The underlying essence of homestays is all about cultural integration. Furthermore, the experiences of numerous students throughout the years demonstrate that the majority of the time, the homestay program works well for both hosts and guests.