3 lovely months in Spain!

Going abroad and staying with a local family in any country is definitely a step out of your comfort zone that you SHOULD take. I became really close with the family and we bonded in lots of different ways. I participated in their family events & activities (dinners, birthdays, Christmas!!!) and really felt like I got to experience the food and culture of Spain. We had big dinner where everyone was always singing and dancing, and they always included me. At one dinner everyone around the table got a musical instrument and sang songs together!! It was so cool. I felt like I was apart of their family and it makes for some really great memories. It’s so nice to see a city through the eyes of someone else and not just as a tourist. I got to travel to other cities and countries on the weekend took which was awesome! It was important for the family that we spoke in English around the kids so they could learn more & not speak to me in Spanish, so considering that, if I did a homestay again, I’d enroll in a separate language course. I wanted to learn some Spanish so I did go to some language exchanges, practiced my Spanish, and met new friends. I would be clear about your goals (language learning, traveling, whatever it may be) with the family right away. Communication is key. You and the family want to get as much out of the program as possible, so talking about your expectations is something I’d recommend discussing. Sometimes I had to push myself to speak (some days I just wasn’t confident!) but overall people were super friendly/understanding and I didn’t get down on myself if I had a not-great speaking day. Overall, I’d highly recommend this homestay program. Greenheart provided me with a ton of materials before my trip, and also consistently contacted me with questions and support. Every time I talked to the support team at Greenheart I got more and more excited for my trip. They also get you health insurance & link you up with a great family depending on your interests so it’s a great time for both parties. I’d love to do another program in the future. I love to travel and Greenheart just offers more easy opportunities to fuel my travel love!!