The Host Family Experience

Looking back, I've mentioned and praised my host family on this blog numerous times. I've told you their names, my initial fears, and how much I love them now. I thought I would use this post to expand a little bit on what it means to live with a host family. The 60 SALTers spread out around the world are having a wide variety of experiences. Some are living with other foreigners for securities sake, some are living with ethnic minorities, some have host parents, some have only host siblings like me, some are living with fellow Christians and some are not, and its inevitable that some aren't in love with their host family experience. Host families seem to be one of the main things that cause new SALTers worry. Will I be able to communicate? Will they like me? Will I be uncomfortable all the time?

My host family experience has been down right fantastic. Sure, I have moments of uncomfortable-ness and awkwardness, but the relationships I have with my 3 host sisters have real depth and are truly rewarding. They also serve as the best gatekeepers into Cambodian culture and relationships with other Cambodians. I get to do and see so many things with them that I never could otherwise. I've been completely convinced that every overseas worker should at least do a home stay because the experience is vital. So here's a few facts I've learned about life with host families:

1) Expect to be nervous and awkward at first. Expect 6 weeks of it being exhausting to be at home, of it not feeling like home.

2)Expect to be at work on a Friday on week 7 or 8 and suddenly realize that you actually want to go home, that home sounds relaxing- BREAKTHROUGH

3) Expect to have all the out of town relatives come into town just to meet you

4) Even though its hard at the beginning, force yourself to hang out with your family- those hours will pay off later when you don't need to force yourself anymore

5) Give yourself space- its okay to leave the house on a saturday if you're starting to get restless or homesick

6) Enjoy unexpected things in common- for me a love of going dancing

7) Enjoy the fact that relationships can happen even when communication is limited by a language barrier

8) Savor the moments you know you are a part of the family- for me when your sister says 'you love all the things we love' and 'it would have been more fun if you were there' and being trusted with the history of the family, good and bad.

9) Realize how we are all the same- like when my sister says 'hurry up Nicole, American Idol is on' or when we all pray together

10) Enjoy how we are all different- like when you can't quite understand why no one plans anything in advance ever, but you just kind of go with it all the time and learn to love the unexpected fun things that happen

I'm so grateful my host family experience has been positive. This would have been such a different year if I hadn't felt so loved and wanted in my temporary home.

The next new experience I will share them- going to their home province for Khmer New Year in mid-April : )