Homestay by Marley Lucas

If I can give you any study abroad advice it would be to stay in a homestay. Coming to Sevilla I was extremely nervous to stay in a homestay. I was nervous to share a room with someone I didn’t know, I was nervous I wouldn’t like the cooking. Most of all I was nervous my host mom wouldn’t like me. As it turns, every single one of those things couldn’t be further from the truth. To stay I am ecstatic about my homestay is an understatement.

My host mom is kind hearted and unapologetically hilarious. From the second I stepped off the bus I was welcomed with open arms. She is constantly stuffing me with her delicious food and sharing her funny stories. She is more than accommodating especially with me being a pescatarian. I also have a host brother and host sister whom we share the house with too. I cannot forget to mention our two furry little friends, named Leo and Milka, the Persian cats.  I feel comfortable to sit on the couch and have a conversation with my host family, and I feel just as comfortable to retreat to my cozy room when it’s time for a siesta or I just need a little break. I share my room with one other student. Our room is the perfect size for the two of us and my host mom makes sure we have everything we could need. We each have our own closet which is big enough for the ridiculous amount of clothes I decided to bring, and some shelves. If we are not in our room or spending time with our host family, we are probably out exploring the neighborhood we live in, Los Remedios.

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It is mainly a residential neighborhood but is filled with places to shop and a whole lot of good food. No matter what time of day it is the streets are lively with the laughter of children and the sound of Spanish families enjoying themselves over tapas. It is close enough to the city center but gives me the cultural experience of living in a Spanish neighborhood. I can go to the tapas bar that is connected to my apartment building and meet locals who will tell me places to get food or go shopping.

Living in a homestay has impacted my stay in Sevilla so far in the most wonderful way. I have a place to go home to at the end of the night that makes me feel welcomed and comforted in a foreign place. I am able to expand and practice my Spanish with my family, I have an immediate friend, my roommate, and I get an authentic cultural experience having connections with locals in a local neighborhood. If you are considering living in a homestay, I urge you to do just that. Face your fear of a language barrier or anything else that may be standing in your way.

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