Tene ’25, reflects on the importance of fully immersing into the homestay experience.
It feels like a second home. Having now been with my host family for more than a week, I feel like an additional member to the family. Saturdays, which I once associated with isolation, now look the complete opposite. My days are now spent with others, a typical Saturday I learned doesn’t have to look like either a full day of isolation or outdoor activities. It can be a healthy mix of both allowing me to have the self care time necessary to grasp and grow through this experience while also continuing to immerse myself into the French culture. An example of a Saturday for me has looked like heading to Le Marché d’Arles, which is open only on Wednesday and Saturday, to buy gifts for my family. This market is huge and getting the opportunity to go with my host mother and little brother allowed me to visit the stands with the best deals and pick out the best gifts. The two hours passed were spent saying hello to friends walking by and catching up, smelling the endless options of perfume, trying to stick to the plan of only buying gifts for others, and of course buying some sweets to take home. The trip not only allowed me to buy gifts for my family but also spend more time with my host mother learning about the different spices at stands and which perfume was most popular currently. We would later return for a late lunch and enjoy a salade which is as staple both here and in my own home and for dessert eat the donuts bought at the market. After cleaning up, a routine without fail is that we head to the living room to watch T.V. For those wondering, when we are not watching Peppa Pig or another show for my little brother who is two, we are watching my show Lady Bug Miraculous. Which if you didn’t know is set in Paris.
Eating every meal together with my family has also instilled another important value in me which is enjoying the company of others. Though our meals are often spent talking about the difference between America and France, Disney princesses, and everyone’s day. I have also gotten to understand and value simply sharing a meal with others, bonding with others not through words but through food. A dish of mine in particular which I first ate here and love is Mrouzia. My host family is Moroccan so with every meal in one way or another their culture is intertwined. From eating bread with almost every meal to the variety of spices used, let’s just say I am eating VERY well. However, for those who don’t know, Mrouzia is lamb stew with fruits and nuts eaten with bread. My weekend spent with my host family is simple, however, nothing short from satisfying and rewarding as I get to practice speaking with my 12 and 19 year-old host sisters who tell me all about the news at their schools, French slang, and most importantly why Maleficent (a main character in sleeping beauty isn’t really evil). But of course our nights aren’t just concluded with dessert after dinner and cleaning up the kitchen but rather me and my host sister playing Roblox till almost midnight in the living room. I feel right at home.
