Are you thinking of staying with a host family during your Language Gap? Feeling a little hesitant? Language Gappers who chose homestay accommodation have provided a multitude of positive reviews; here are a few to put your mind at ease:
Photo: Language Gapper George with his host family - they are now firm friends for life!
Faith (17) spent 2 weeks in Angers, France and had this to say: "I couldn’t have wished for a better host family, they were so lovely, so welcoming, so kind, put me at ease. They always made sure I was included in conversations, checking that I was understanding, explaining things in a different way if I didn’t. We did many activities, both cultural and seeing family and friends, which was lovely."
Theo (16) spent 3 weeks in San Sebastián, Spain; this is how he described his experience: "I loved staying with my host family. They were so lovely, kind, and welcoming at all times. The apartment was in a very nice part of town and it was perfect for my immersion because it forced me to learn very quickly: they spoke very, very fast. The packed lunches were delicious and there was always enough to eat."
Hattie (15) spent an immersion week in Vejer de la Frontera, Andalusia: "My host family were really nice and welcoming - making sure I had everything I needed - they were very patient with my basic Spanish and made me feel confident to try and make conversation."
Herbie (18) stayed in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 3 weeks, and mentioned: "I stayed with an Argentinian host, Marta, who was fantastic, extremely relaxed and helpful with an incredible family history, with ancestors connected to the American revolution and Argentinian history. Her house is beautiful. I had a whole variety of different meals in the evening and there was always enough food. In fact, I sometimes disappointed Marta by not eating as much as she expected!"
Read these 10 tips for a successful homestay.