Katherine’s Journey 1-A

(My house is your house) – Living with a Host Family

Living with a host family was definitely a buena idea! I chose this option so that I would be able to have the full Guatemalan experience. It allowed me to see how people live on a day-to-day basis and experience the living conditions in which people thrive.

My host family lived approximately 10 minutes from Central Park in an area of town that is quiet and away from tourist attractions. The house was a decent size and had a kitchen, dining area, two bathrooms and five bedrooms. There was a separate area from the boarders where the family slept. This was to give everyone the privacy they needed.

The bathrooms were modest and contained the basic essentials; a toilet, sink and shower. Drinking the tap water and having hot showers was not an option but was not too difficult to get used to. We also were asked to conserve water while showering and using the facilities due to shortages in the community.
My bedroom was a nice size and contained a shelf, bed, desk and chair. It was homey and was a place to relax when I need to rest my eyes or take some time for myself.

The dining area had a feeling of homeliness. Photographs of family, past foreigners who had stayed in the home and artwork lined the walls. It made it clear to me that family was important and should be cherished.

The day-to-day living conditions within the home were both rewarding and comforting. Everyone socialized over meals of fried plantains, beans, fresh bread and pineapple. We spoke about our days, what we had learned at school and what our plans were for the afternoon and evening. This gave us time to practice our Spanish in a social setting since we all came from various parts of the world including the Netherlands, Korea and Canada. We were able to show what we had learned that day and correct any mistakes that needed to be corrected. When someone could not think of a word for something others would help out. If we made a mistake we all laughed. I have to admit, it took me a few days to warm up to this. I was nervous trying to speak another language and wanted to have enough background knowledge before I made a fool of myself. It turned out that everyone was very supportive and assisted where they could. Overall, the experience was very positive. I was able to meet some really great people who I will share memories with for the rest of my life.