When I decided that I was going to study abroad, I knew that I wanted to live with a host family. Living with a host family means that you're a little more isolated from the other people in your program. Some people also don't want to live with strangers in a foreign country. For me, living with a host family wasn't even a question. It makes your study abroad more comfortable, and you have an easier transition to the new culture. Even though from the start it might not be apparent, there are many advantages to living with a host family.
1. The food
No one knows how to cook the food of a country better than natives. While you can go to restaurants to try it, eating in your own home is more personal and comfortable.
2. Cultural knowledge
Who better to ask about current events or the past of a country than someone who has lived through it? There are so many experiences that don't mean much when you read them in a history book, but make a lot more sense when you have a personal story to relate it to.
3. Knowledge of the area
If you have any questions about what to do, where to go, or about the history of the city and the buildings, it helps to have someone who has lived in the area for a while to ask.
4. More language practice
There's nothing forcing you to speak another language if you live with people who are also from your country, but if you live with people who speak only your second language, it strengthens your listening and speaking skills. While it can be nice to live with someone who also speaks your native language, it strengthens your ability to communicate with others.
5. Living within a family
Even though you're not living with your actual family, living in a home with other people is much more comfortable than living in a dorm. You can integrate yourself into their daily routine instead of having to come up with one of your own.
6. Directions
Navigating a new city is hard, and it's even harder when you're trying to communicate in your second language. It helps to have someone who can tell you the best ways to get from one place to another and to lessen some of the stress of traveling. Not needing to understand exactly where to go on the first day makes it a little easier to feel comfortable in a new place.
7. Ties to a country
Even after you leave, wherever you studied abroad will always have a special place in your heart, but if you stay with a host family, then you have a specific reason to come back and visit one day; the people.
8. Multiple places to explore
Not only do you have the opportunity to explore the center of town and around your university, you also get to explore the neighborhood that you live in and experience its culture too.
9. Living in a house
Living in a dorm means you have less access to things like a kitchen and a personal room. If you live with a host family, you can have a little more privacy, and if you want to make your own food, you can, and everything you need might already be in your kitchen.
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