Living in a host family - London

There is nothing more exciting than having an experience abroad, either to study or to work. I am currently working in London as an intern in a superb translation agency, in a very friendly and young environment, where the music is always on and this implies that if you are not an English native speaker it is a real performance speaking on the phone successfully, especially when the call is a marketing one and they ask you how many sockets you have in the office...what the hell do I know about it? J Anyway, I will discuss this topic later on.

Now I would like to focus on how it is living in a host family and why you should choose or not choose this option for your accommodation during your stay abroad. Before coming here, I was asked about which kind of accommodation I preferred to go for and with no doubt I decided that the best option would be to stay in a family. I thought that if I had the chance, I should have tried to stay with a local family. After all, an important reason to go abroad is to go crazy in a place where nobody knows you. Moreover this is the best way to pick up the language much faster, as you have to communicate with them in local language most of the day; they can also give you advice on the area you live and above all you can learn a lot on their culture, believes, cuisine, an insight that you will hardly get when you live with other foreign student in a flat. If you are unable to find a family to live within a foreign country then people often look for translation services for communication purposes.

Since I arrived I have already changed two families and I must admit that my first one was really funny and I got on very well with them. A month ago I moved to another area, in the south of London, to get near to my job place so now I have a new family. They come from Jamaica, and that is not surprising at all in a melting pot like London, but what’s more my new “parents” have two wonderful daughters, but with the exception that they don’t even speak or look at me J  In a multicultural city like London people are always looking for professional translation in order to help them settle down in a new place. However I have never faced such an issue in a busy city like London.

I know that living in a host family is not for everyone and sometimes it can also seem daunting. Here are some tips to make your stay easier. It would be good to bring them a small gift when you arrive, tell them if you have special needs and ask if they have any rules about meal time, which rooms and appliances you are allowed to use, whether you may have a space in the kitchen for your own food. I know people who were not allowed to have a shower every day and their stay turned into a real nightmare. It is also important to ask them why they decided to host a person; they may have a variety of reasons, from wanting to get in touch with people from abroad to simply needing the money that comes with renting out a room. Cultures and languages play a very important role whilst leaving with a family from different country and nationalities. People often look for a translation agency to seek advice and help on these matters. It is also important to speak to them and to show them that you want to get to know them by making an effort to start a conversation every day, which is exactly what I try to do every day with the young girls, but with no result at all. It takes a lot of patience J As you need to show you are open to interaction, you also have to leave them alone together.

Things probably won’t be perfect, but what’s important is keep trying and enjoy as much as you can J