Homestay: Everyday Learning

As I mentioned in a previous post, this Travel Study program involves a homestay. This was something that really caught my attention about the program; I have always wanted the experience of living with a homestay to fully experience French culture. Though our classes do a great job of teaching us about all things French, it is the locals who know it best. During a homestay, there are several things you’ll learn; here is what I have discovered so far!

Greater sense of confidence

I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t a little nervous for the homestay; I was excited, but knocking on the door of a stranger’s house can be intimidating! However, I was more at ease because I had reached out via email to my host family before arriving (also because Natasha, my roommate, arrived before me*). My nervousness quickly disappeared soon after arriving, though. My host family was so nice! They were so welcoming and excited to meet us. During this time you’ll be speaking a new language, trying new foods, and so much more – this experience will definitely give you a greater sense of independence and confidence in yourself!

A pretty residential street

*Note: most people arrive together with their roommate! The Travel Study program arranges transportation from the airport for you and your roommate. I found a cheaper flight to a different airport so Natasha and I couldn’t ride together.

Improve your ability to speak & understand French

The homestay by far has been the greatest practice I have had for speaking and listening comprehension. I’m assuming all the host families speak English to some extent, but ours only spoke to us in French. This was great practice for me to be fully immersed in the language. After speaking and listening for two hours a night during dinner, I definitely saw noticeable improvements in my French. You can read about what our dinner conversations have been like here!

"Haussmann" architecture is the style many French apartments are constructed with, like this one here

Cultural values

Because you are spending so much time listening and learning about culture, you will gain a better understanding of French values. This topic often came up during dinner discussions while comparing French and Americans. Our host parents were eager to learn about going to school in California as well as our home towns. There are several differences between the two countries, but there may be more similarities than you think!

Discover the places the locals go

My host parents have lived in Paris for several years and know all the ins and outs of the city. I lived in the 20th arrondissement which isn’t the most touristy area*, but our host parents introduced us to places only locals know about. One of the first nights, our host parent’s godson had dinner with us. Afterwards, they invited us to walk around the neighborhood known as Belleville with them. With a name literally meaning “beautiful town," this neighborhood was lively for a Tuesday night. Our host parents said this area is known as the place where many artists have their studios and musicians get their start by playing at local cafés and bars. My host dad explained to me that this is what he considers the “real” Paris. The City of Light is often chalked up to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre; while these are important to Parisian identity, there is so much more. We ended the evening with a view of the park that overlooked the city right as the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle. I unfortunately only have a few blurry pictures; it was one of those nights where you’re having too much fun to stop and take a picture!

* The 20th is home to Père Lachaise, which would probably be considered the main touristic attraction. This cemetery is the final resting place for several famous people such as Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Frédéric Chopin, and Jim Morrison to name a few.

Eiffel Tower Sparkles!

Wandering the Streets of the 20th

Another hidden gem my host mom introduced me to was Buttes Chaumont park. I had mentioned that I liked to run, so after dinner one evening she took us to the park (only a kilometer from our house) to show me somewhere I could get my workout in!

If you look to the left, you can see Sacre Coeur at the top of the hill!

Participating in the homestay for Travel Study has been an amazing experience, you don’t realize how much more you learn every day despite possibly studying less than a normal quarter at UCLA. Because of the homestay, speaking in French becomes more natural, which carries over to your everyday life and into the classroom. Though you are several thousands of miles away from the United States, my host parents made Paris feel like home.