Staying at home stay is a different kind of accommodation that more and more people are discovering. It provides a more authentic experience and the chance to live like the locals for real. Also, if you live with a local, they can usually tell you more about the local culture and traditions if you’re interested.
Homestay is also perfect for those who want to learn the language, for example, in Latin America, it’s common to stay at a homestay while learning Spanish together with the host family.
What is Homestay?
A homestay is exactly what it sounds like; you stay in someone else’s home. In this case, you live with a local family at the destination.
Usually, food is included, and you get to try different delicacies and classic fare from the country you are visiting. You also get the chance to learn more about the culture and experience the everyday life up close.
Why do it?
If you’re looking for an authentic experience, then this is the type of accommodation for you. Here’s your ultimate chance to experience the local, for real. In a homestay, you live with a local host family where there is the opportunity to learn more about their culture and traditions. Moreover, one usually get to try the local cuisine and eat with the host family.
The reason why is thus very simple – You get a more memorable journey and experience!
How to find a host family?
There are several ways, but the easiest is to use homestay.com. They have the biggest range of hosts around the world and also gives you the security that you don’t get if you book housing on your own.
You can also post in various Facebook groups or local forums.
What does it cost to stay at home stay?
The cost varies from country to country, but generally, it is cheaper than hotels. The standard is often good, but more simple. Often you’ll stay in the guest room or the loft.
Usually, it doesn’t cost more than 50 dollars a night, and in most countries, it is considerably cheaper than that.
What standard do you get?
Just like an ordinary home. You are their guest and will be treated in the best way. Expect the same standard like a local from the middle class. Then, of course, there are both better and worse standards, just like hotels.
My experience of a Homestay
I did a homestay in Kathmandu in Nepal and won’t hesitate to do it again. It is an unforgettable experience!
When we arrived late in the evening, they waited outside their home. Shortly after that, the whole family came and welcomed us with a Nepalese schnapps and eggs.
Strange? A little odd, perhaps, but it’s a tradition that was typical for their community. A genuine and lovely start to our homestay in other words! The next morning, breakfast was ready, which consisted of rice bread and local side dishes.
After breakfast, we went a guided tour of the town with our host, where he told us about all the temples and history of the city. When we got home the food was ready and just like at breakfast they explained everything about the course and how the food was cooked. Interesting and tasty.
The following days we got to try different dishes, both at breakfast and dinner. Then we got some alone time to explore on our own, but the family was always available and gave us tips and answered questions. They were always cheerful and showed us what they did on a normal day and more about Nepal as a country and its history.
At noon there were many comparisons between the traditions of Nepal and Sweden. It turned out that his sister had studied half a year in Malmö. The world is so big, yet so small. A funny coincidence that made our stay even more pleasant. When we were there, there was a kind of political demonstration against India too, which also came up as a topic of conversation.
It was fascinating to hear their views on politics and how to solve different problems.
Jaque Christo
Tuesday 17th of October 2017
I think it would be awesome to do a homestay for different countries that you visit. Like you said, it gives you a chance to really explore the culture and delicacies of the country. My friend is planning on taking a long trip all around Europe and Asia. I'll pass this along to him so maybe he can plan a few homestays on his adventure. Thank you for the information.