23 May A New Way to Travel: Language Homestay Program

Making connections on the road with locals and other travelers has long been our favorite part of traveling. There’s something unique about developing relationships when you travel–they seem to break the barrier of distance and time and lifelong friendships can be created in a few short moments. These friendships can make you feel at home even though you really aren’t at home, and learning all about your cultural differences makes relationships exciting and new. It also is fun to get local insight and tips on a destination–some things you just can’t find through a guidebook or online source.

Studying abroad in college was another one of the best experiences of my life. It was the first time I had been able to travel abroad, and I had no idea what to expect, but I was beyond excited to find out. Walking around and exploring the streets of Paris and London, even though they weren’t the most exotic locations, it still felt like a dream; one that I wanted to relive every day of my life. That trip definitely played a part in my long-term life goals and helped lead me to where I am today. Even though it was a short-term study, I left feeling like a different person and had a new outlook on life. Here’s a little throwback to 2007 for you:

For all these reasons and more, I was very intrigued when Greenheart Travel contacted me about their new Language Homestay program. I just think it would be such an exciting and unique experience, so I am happy to share the news of their program with you. This program gives travelers a chance to stay with a host family for 1-3 months in exchange for being an English language tutor. It’s really a great way to fall into a new culture and maybe even develop a few new language skills of your own! Although flights are not included and there is a small fee, your housing and meals are included in the experience and you will actually be able to live in Europe for a few months time.

Start dates are flexible and available year round. You may choose your start date as long as you submit your application at least 8 weeks prior to your departure. Participants spend approximately 15 hours per week tutoring members of the host family in English lessons. The rest of the time is yours to immerse yourself in the language, culture and lifestyle of your host community. Greenheart Travel offers language homestay opportunities in Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Peru, Spain and Thailand.

There are no requirements to be accepted into the program — you just need an enthusiasm for learning about new cultures and languages, you need to be over 18 and a native English speaker. This is a great program for college students, recent grads or anyone looking for a bit of adventure in their lives! If you want to learn more about the experience and what it is like to be part of the program, you can check out the Greenheart Travel blog page for stories from a recent participant’s time in Italy.

Even though I haven’t had a chance to actually travel with their program, it’s definitely something I would consider doing in the future. I would love to teach in France or teach in Italy while having the opportunity to live in Europe; teaching in Asia or South America would be amazing too. Spending one to three months in one of these great locations, connecting with locals and having lots of leisure time to explore, is right up my alley!

This post is brought to you by a partnership with Greenheart Travel. As always, all opinions are my own.