Tufts Blogs

When studying abroad in Madrid you are given two options, you can either stay with a host family or you can stay in a student residence hall. I am extremely grateful that I chose a host family, along with the help of the amazing program director Mayte de las Heras (deputy director). I was given such an incredible host family, that they were able to become my family away from home. In my host family, I have a host mom and three younger host siblings, which sort of reminds me of my family back home because I also have three younger siblings. Mayte does such an incredible job at finding these families who are willing to take students in, and she is constantly there to make sure everything flows properly and to check if there are any situations that need to be settled.

I arrived in Madrid in September, and there I was at the airport giving the taxi driver this random address to a place that I didn’t even know what it looked like on the outside. I arrive and I take a moment to settle in and understand that I am currently standing on a street in Madrid that I will call home for the next three and half months. I am greeted at the door by the host brother, who without any hesitation gives me a hug and helps me with my bags into my new home. It is pretty early in the morning and everyone is still asleep, but I am brought to my room and I start to unpack my things while I still have the adrenaline rush of being in a new country. A few moments later I am greeted by my host mom with a huge and loving hug, welcoming me to a new point in my life. She gives me the rundown of the apartment and makes sure that I feel comfortable and recognize that this is my new home and new family. Later that night, I am taken to my host grandmother's home for a family dinner where I get to meet the rest of the family, and it makes me so happy to know that I am in a safe and loving place. I just start babbling on and on about my life (in Spanish of course), and they all seem so interested! I asked them questions about what to expect from life in Madrid and they gave me so many tips to get a true Madrileno experience. 

Being able to choose to stay with a host family is such an incredible experience. Being able to have a strong and reliable base at home, and being able to ask questions about life in Madrid, which is definitely different, has been important. Also being able to practice my Spanish and learn so much European history from my host sister, who enjoys learning so much in school, is such a great experience. From the incredible breakfast and dinners to the movie nights and the rugby games, this was such an unbelievable experience that really made my experience abroad that much better. 

Although I am not gonna lie, it wasn’t completely easy at first. Nothing to do with the family whatsoever, but more of a personal feeling of being in a different place and just getting used to the fact of feeling at "home home" (I don’t know if that makes sense). I’m the type of person who always asks for permission to do something because that's the way I was raised and I feel that’s the respectful thing to do. I would ask my host mom if it's okay if I grabbed a fruit or yogurt, out of courtesy and her response would be “Are you kidding me? This is your home!.” So word of advice, it will take some getting used to, but let it take time, and feel comfortable asking questions because every family is more than willing to answer.

When choosing between homestay or residence hall, I would really recommend host family, it is such an unbelievable experience where you get to make incredible relationships and learn things you never intended to in the first place. But either way, you will have an incredible experience in Madrid! 

Hasta la próxima!!! <3