Tips for living with a family

Top 5 tips for living with a family

At Elebaires we know that one of the best ways to learn a language in any country is by staying with a family. The benefits are obvious – you get real exposure to the language, you have the comfort of a home where someone will feed you and wash your clothes, and you have the chance to get to know some natives. Choosing between the various different types of accommodation that Elebaires has to offer (homestay, student accommodation, shared or hostels and hotels) can be difficult. Here is a little list of Elebaires´ obvious and not-so-obvious tips in order to help you have the best time out here and to ensure that your language improves as much as possible.

1) This is an obvious point to make but everyone makes this mistake from time to time. When you arrive it is always easier to sit in your room on your own and on facebook or watching films. Ultimately the family has put themselves forward as a host family because they want to help and they want guests. This means that the more you put in, the more you will get back. Many of our students remain in touch with their host family even once they’ve gone home. By speaking as much as possible at home you will make sure that you can fully immerse yourself into Argentine culture!

2) Be honest. We understand that when you first arrive at your host family they may not cook the food that you like or something could be changed to make things a bit easier. If you are honest and explain that you would rather have something different then the host family will be very willing to help. All of our host families have been carefully selected so they will always be willing to help.

3) Many different cultures and countries use different bedding. Make sure that if you are particular about the type of bedding you need for example, if you have allergies, then bring it out with you. Sleeping well and comfortably is important so if you often get cold at night, make sure you bring some warm pyjamas or some a thick pair socks at least.

4) Try and get into the family life and give yourself a rhythm. This will help you settle in and make yourself feel at home quickly. However, it will also enable you to get the best opportunities to learn about the Argentine way of life and culture.

5) Take a present for your gift family. While we have carefully chosen all of our host families, everyone loves a present and if you bring a gift, no matter how small, the host family will be extremely grateful. Perhaps bring something that is unique to your country…

We hope your time here is a great one and that these tips help you out! If you have any questions then please get in touch or check out our accomodation blog for info on other types of accomodation.