Job Discussion Forums

[manzana]

Has anyone had experience living in a homestay? I am thinking of staying in one with my spouse and 11 year old child while I teach because we would learn Spanish faster, it could be friendlier than staying on our own, there might be kids for mine to play with, it could be a pleasant way to learn the ropes of local living......any comments? Dos and don'ts, for example?

[Gringo Greg]

With a kid, it might be difficult. I don't suppose it would present too much of a problem, but it might not be the ideal situation. If you plan on staying in Mexico long term, you oughta think about renting an apartment on your own or maybe even rent a large room in a house. Homestays work best with younger people and those without dependents.

[moonraven]

I used to recommend homestays, but I think that something has changed in the atmosphere, as lately everyone I know who has done even a short term (2 week) homestay has had bad experiences. Give yourself some privacy and a decent place to live. Skip the gouging homestay families and bad food.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I can't speak for all of Mexico, but homestays in Merida are expensive. Most people who accept "foreign guests" into their homes do it primarily for the money and are on housing lists for universities and private language schools that offer Spanish classes. They cater to 1) foreign exchange students who pay as much or more for room and board here (often added on to their student loan tab at their home university) as they pay for dormitory room and board "back home," 2) exchange professors whose universities generously cover their expenses, or 3) people taking relatively short Spanish courses and are willing/able to pay extra for the "cultural and language experience of living with a local family."

Although some families make a real effort to be good hosts and try to include their guests in family activities, in many cases the only "cultural and language experience" is via conversations with the muchacha, the cook, the woman who does the laundry and ironing, and the gardener. In lots of situations it's a boarding-house atmosphere (renting a room in someone's house) rather than a family atmosphere. The guests only see the host family members in passing. If meals are provided as part of the package, often the guests' meals and the host family's meals aren't the same and are served at different times.

Let me emphasize that my observations are based only on what I've seen here in Merida. It may be quite different in other parts of the country.