When I was looking into selecting housing for my term with Barcelona SAE I was presented with three options: Residence Hall, Apartment, or Homestay. They all sounded like a great way to meet new people, but I ultimately chose the homestay for the added cultural immersion (and of course, free Spanish dinners). I am glad to say that this was the best decision I could have made and is part of what made my experience in Barcelona so unique. I was initially nervous because I was unaware who my roommate would be, the size/quality of my living space, and the host family in general. Nonetheless, after only a day of meeting my roommate, my host mom, and her son, I was already convinced that I had it made.
Our host mom was very excited to meet us and show us around her apartment. The apartment exceeded all of my expectations—it was large, clean, unique, and only a 10 minute walk from the Barcelona SAE School for International Studies (SIS) building. My roommate and I each had our own living spaces, and throughout my time here this place has really started to feel like home. Every night we would have a home-cooked meal of both Spanish and Italian cuisine. There wasn't a single meal that I didn't enjoy and our homestay was very accommodating by giving my roommate and I plenty of food (and also lots of delicious desserts).Being in a homestay also heightened my Spanish ability—both talking and listening. Throughout the day we would have short conversations, but then during dinners we were able to talk about our lives back home and hear lots of stories about their life in Spain. I would say that my host family learned just as much about my life in the U.S. as I learned about their life in Barcelona. Furthermore, I had the opportunity of going to the gym just about every day with my host brother, which was another very unique and special experience for me. Despite everything being in kilograms and being confused with how much I was lifting, this was another opportunity for me to practice my Spanish ability in a real world setting.
Like I mentioned previously, this homestay has really become almost like a real home for me and I am going to miss everything that this family has done for me over the past month. Although I don't think you can go wrong with any of your options when it comes to your accommodations within the Barcelona SAE program (both the residence hall and the apartments were spectacular as well), I still believe that the homestay is the best option for anyone who wants to get a true cultural experience when they come to Barcelona. Thank you Barcelona SAE for making this experience an unforgettable one. ¡Quédate con una familia local!
