There are many living arrangements available as a study abroad student, varying depending on the type of program you choose. Some programs offer dormitory-style living much like Northwestern offers – single or shared bedrooms with shared communal spaces. Some offer apartment living, where you live on your own or with roommates with a shared living space and kitchen. Still others offer a homestay, where you live with a local family in a private bedroom, but share the rest of the house or apartment with the family.
If given the choice, I strongly urge you to choose the homestay option.
For my program, a homestay was our only option, but I would have chosen it regardless. Homestays offer so many more benefits than dormitory- or apartment-style living do. For starters, living with a local family means you have more language immersion and speaking opportunities. While my host family spoke some English, my host mom was adamant that everyone only spoke to me in French (unless otherwise necessary) to help me immerse myself in the French language to the fullest extent. I can definitely say that this greatly helped me improve my French – while classes were entirely in French, and we spoke only in French to the locals, we students were definitely guilty of speaking mostly English when amongst ourselves. Speaking French at home helped me to get more comfortable with and immersed in the language, and helped me reach a level of proficiency I would not have otherwise been likely to obtain. Plus, my host mom was not shy about correcting my mistakes, so not only did I speak more French, I spoke better French because of my homestay.
A homestay placement is also beneficial because by being placed with a local family, you can more easily learn all about local customs, culture, and traditions, as well as get a variety of recommendations for everything from pharmacies to visit to restaurants to sample to activities to try! My host family taught me so much about life in Arles, through their words and actions, and I learned so much I might not have otherwise learned. My host parents gave me lots of recommendations for great places to eat and the best ice cream in town (Soleileïs!) while my host brothers had plenty of recommendations of spots to visit and activities to do around town. It’s like having a built-in conciergerie!
Finally, homestays provide you with a home-away-from-home, complete with a family-away-from-home. I caught a sickness that was going around while living at my homestay, and my host mom was quick to help me find a doctor, pick up medication from the pharmacy, and made sure I had everything I would need to recover. She was so caring, and it was just like having my mom there to take care of me while I was sick.
My study abroad experience would have been totally different if I hadn’t had my host family to help me out, take care of me, and introduce me to the city. If you are given the choice, I strongly recommend choosing a homestay as your living arrangement during your time studying abroad, as it’s truly an experience like no other that will help you feel right at home while abroad!