Our family – a mother and daughter team – have been hosting international students here in New Zealand with Host Families NZ for about 4 years – too many to count! We’ve hosted around 20 students, probably more.
We chose to be a host family because I was a homestay myself in the past, and grew to love New Zealand because of it. Now me and my mother want to do the same thing for other visitors.
I’m Liking
The highlight of the hosting experience is learning about each homestay’s personal story, and sharing our own story with them.
We’ve been introduced to many different cultures, experiences, and mindsets. It has made us more mature, culturally aware and empathetic as individuals.
Hosting has also made us more aware and mindful of our own habits; from diet to water usage, to power consumption, to our daily routine.
Living with many individuals from a culturally diverse background has forced us to become more disciplined. We had to rationalise why we do things, and how to make things fair to everyone. Along with learning how to explain all sorts of things to unfamiliar people, it’s really kept us on our toes!
Conclusion
If you’re looking for some extra income, and interested in learning more about people from diverse backgrounds, you might like to consider international student hosting too. Check out Host Families NZ for more details.
