When people think of rural life it’s often associated with being a bit isolated and not having much going on. Whereas cities tend to be thought of as vibrant and fun.
But whilst it is often true that cities have more opportunities and lots of things to do, it is not necessarily the case that they are the best place for a homestay experience.
The Perks of a City Homestay Experience
Cultural Diversity & Exposure
City homestays offer immediate exposure to language immersion, it’s simply inescapable.
And whatever your interests, whether that be the cinema, museums, restaurants, shopping, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll find something you already love - just in a different language.
Social Aspects & Entertainment
Being away from home can often be a big deal, especially if it’s your first homestay.
So if you are prone to suffering from homesickness, the busyness and abundance of different social interactions city life presents might be just what you need.
Public Transport and Mobility
One benefit of choosing a travel destination that is a city is easy transport connections.
You will be able to explore the various neighbourhoods and landmarks with ease. This in turn will enable you to develop a deeper connection with the culture, city and country.
More Language Class Options
If you aren’t staying in a homestay with a teacher, you may want to line up some formal language classes. Or maybe even join some language meetups.
These options are especially popular amongst international students and can easily be found in cities, but not so much within rural settings.
The Perks of a Countryside Homestay Experience
True Cultural Immersion
Cities are often cultural melting pots, and so it’s rural areas that will offer a truer window to the native culture.
As a bonus, countryside communities also tend to have a much more welcoming and friendly feel to them than busy metropolitan places.
Natural Beauty and Tranquillity
The tranquillity of a countryside homestay experience quite often creates the perfect learning environment.
Looking out over the rural charm of meadows and forests can create some well needed headspace to take your language skills to the next level.
More Opportunity to Practise
It’s very unlikely that you will meet anyone who speaks your native language when staying with a rural host family.
You will have no other option than to speak your target language. This results in much more intensive immersion learning and maximises improvement in your language skills.
Saving Money
While there may be more variety of things to do, there’s no getting around the fact that city living is more expensive than in the countryside.
And it doesn’t mean that there still won’t be plenty of activities to do at your rural homestay. Plus lots of things like hiking and wild swimming will be free.
Close-knit Community and Personal Connections
Cultural immersion is hugely beneficial for advancing understanding of the nuances within your target language. It also helps with developing a sense of humour in it too.
This is notably easier when immersed in a community with deeper relationships.
In Conclusion
It may be that the fewer distractions you have through your immersion learning experience, the better. On the other hand it may be that you learn more effectively with a busy social calendar throughout your homestay.
But whether you decide that a city or countryside homestay is best for you, the most important thing is that the family you will be staying with is a good match for you.
At Lingoo we have a whole range of host families and teachers in many different locations with lots of different interests and qualities.
So to find a perfect match for you, simply create your free profile here and get started today.