living Like A Local

Whether you’re traveling to Italy, Morocco, Argentina or the Philippines, you face the same dreaded dilemma of where to stay. While hotels, Airbnbs and even hostels come to mind, they lack novelty. Bumping into other travelers makes you feel like you never left the country you call home. For a totally different experience, far away from the embarrassing American tour groups with matching lanyards and t-shirts, many BU students have found homestays to be an exciting accommodation while abroad.

Homestays are homes where local families host individuals for a small amount of money. Travelers enjoy the hospitality of natives, try unique dishes and drinks from the local cuisine, visit undiscovered gems around town and learn about the the culture, language and religion. Visitors get a more authentic feel for a place as they see the destination through the eyes of locals.

“Whenever my family goes to Amsterdam, we always stay with locals,” said Olivia Rolnik (CAS ’20). “Had I not stayed with different families, I wouldn’t have known about so many

cool neighborhoods and surrounding towns. I have gotten to explore so many places where locals eat, shop and spend their free time at the suggestion of our host families. I never would have found most of these places on Yelp or Tripadvisor on my own.”

Homestays provide visitors with the opportunity to try new experiences that many tourists may not hear about. While other travelers are waiting in long lines to see what often tends to be a big letdown, individuals who stay with host families visit places around town that are off the beaten path and typically untouched by masses of tourists.

This live-in experience lets travelers make the most of their trip as they fully immerse themselves in the new culture. They often get to participate in activities that are impossible back home.

“[When I was staying in Madrid last summer], I had to speak Spanish to my host family to communicate with them, so I actually developed my Spanish skills,” said Anu Khanna (KHC ’20 CAS ’20). “Just talking to them about the things I was interested in allowed me to be included in many neighborhood events and even church events to further understand the culture.”

Visiting local churches, untouched places of the city with great views and even just having a nice chat in the living room of a Spaniard really lets visitors break the manicured facade of places abroad.

“[Living in a homestay in Jordan] was an enriching experience that allowed me to learn more about Jordanian culture and the Arabic language than I ever could have imagined,” said Megan Jorgensen (CAS ’20). “My host family was so willing to practice with me, listen to me and teach me about their culture and what they loved about their country, which benefitted my knowledge more than a classroom ever could.”

Host families are also able to guide visitors to incredible places that are representative of the local culture.

“While staying in the old city of Jaffa a couple of years ago,” said Ethan Sorcher (CAS ’20), “a family friend of mine took me to try out this traditional Mediterranean restaurant, which looked a little dilapidated and unpopular. When we got our food, though, I was completely shocked—it was the best shakshuka I had ever eaten.”

While it is easy to find homestay opportunities through BU’s study abroad office and even programs like ROTC’s Project Go, individuals can find chances to stay with host families outside of the academic setting.

Homestay.com is a site that pairs travelers with host families in over 160 countries. The hosts not only provide accommodations, but they also help visitors go about life in the destination like locals.

With the high price of plane tickets, museum entry fees and lattes, traveling can be an expensive endeavor. However, on homestay.com, most residences cost less than $50 a night, and there are a variety of options for living arrangements. Included in the daily cost, several accommodations offer meals and they show guests some of their favorite sites around the town that are typically free.

Safety is often the first thing that comes to mind when considering an accommodation. Rest assured, homestay.com has many security precautions in place. The site provides secure messaging and video calling with hosts, reviews of particular homestays, photographs of homes and even host profiles with their hobbies and interests listed. All of this allows guests to ensure that their stay will be enjoyable and safe.

Homestay.com presents a unique experience as it displays how its hosts are available for guest needs. Several travelers have written how hosts have been incredibly welcoming and have a genuine interest in their guests and where they come from as well. They are eager to share their culture and learn from guests, making the experience enjoyable for all. Most guests recognize that homestays offered on the site provide individuals with a home-away-from-home as guests make friendships that last a lifetime.

“One can't help feeling they are there for the guests at all times, irrespective of working hard outside the home. There is a permanent feeling of availability on their part. They are reliable, extremely kind, warm-hearted and well educated, just to mention a few essential characteristics. In the course of my stay we realised that Portugal and Iran had quite a few ‘similarities’ and that made us feel closer. I am particularly honoured to have met them and lived with them as ‘family.’ I know I will go back next year simply because the bond has been strong and I want it to keep on being steadily strong” (Iolanda, “Third time visit to Iran”).

With the dozens of places on your bucket list for 2018, homestays are a great way to save money and really get to know a destination. So, whether you end up in Spain, Jordan, Israel or the Netherlands, homestays are a must. Meeting the people of places far from our own homes, from large metropolitan cities and remote villages, teaches us the value of culture and tradition, the importance of our differences and similarities and ultimately, the beauty of travel.

by Roma Patel / photo by Eva Vidan / design by Asli Aybar