Living with a Host Family

When I first heard that I was going to live with a host family I was incredibly nervous. The closer I got to the date I was supposed to meet them the more nervous I got. Meeting my host family though was not as terrifying as I thought it was going to be. I’m very introverted and I live with a big family so I wasn’t sure how smoothly living with strangers would go.

My host family turned out to be really nice but it was still difficult to get used to all their routines and habits around the house. My host family consisted of a single mom, a 13 year old boy and an 8 year old girl. The first night I was extremely worried. I had to figure out the routines of the house and the layout of the house while trying to get to know my host family at the same time. One thing that made my first night much easier was how open and kind my host family was, by the second hour I had been there I knew all about them and their family history as well. It helped that my host mom showed me family pictures that she had taken and explained where all they had gone for vacation. My host sister was very keen to ask me questions and explain everything to me while my host brother wouldn’t talk to me directly for a while until I brought out all the American candy I had brought with me. I had hoped to make the candy last a bit longer but between me and the kids it was gone within the night.

The first week continued to be a little hard trying to figure out when everyone ate, how long I was expected to stay after the meal, when everyone went to bed and things like that. My host mom was always nice about it though and would tell me the routine or show me how to do something like figuring out how to lock the house or do laundry. It turned out to be easier than I thought it was going to be and even though I’m still figuring out some things, she’s always ready to help which is a huge help. Every night I watch the news or a show with my family and it helps me improve my French and carry on a conversation as well. My host mom even put on French subtitles on the TV so that it would be easier for me to follow along. The best way to get to know my family though was just by hanging out with them after dinner or going to the pool with them during swim practice. Both of the kids are taking swimming lessons and so on Saturday mornings we all go swimming at the pool while my host brother takes his lessons. It’s fun to watch the team practice, talk with my host mom, and get in some exercise at the same time.

One of the most interesting things was helping the kids with their English homework and having them correct my French. One time I made the mistake of calling something pretty and my host sister taught me all the correct adjectives and when to use them which was fun. They are always curious about American customs and what I think about their customs, and we always exchange photos and family stories. We watch a lot of American shows that were dubbed in French and the kids ask me if it is similar to real life in America or if I had seen the show before. One of my host sister’s favorite shows was about a group of people that rescue animals abandoned after Hurricane Katrina so that is often a topic of discussion. I really loved seeing shows I’ve already watched in French but one thing I noticed was there is a lot of laughing reels that are added to the French versions. My host sister seems to enjoy them but it’s a weird experience for me.

As nervous as I was to meet them, it did me a lot of good to stay with a host family and I’m going to miss them when I leave. I learned more French just by talking with them every day than I did in some of my classes, and it gave me the chance to experience French culture first hand.              

Elizabeth Adams

Austin College