Homestay programs are available all over the world; so, how do you pick your next family? Most of it will be left to luck and the consideration of your program provider, but there are also some general cultural traits to keep in mind when spinning that globe around and daydreaming about your upcoming scholastic adventure.

If you are a more independent type, try to stick with more progressive countries that have similar mindsets. Developed, northern countries, such as Sweden, Germany, and Denmark, are used to a higher degree of personal independence, and will understand your desire for some alone time and after-school involvement with social issue groups. You will still receive delicious meals (get ready for meatballs and mashed potatoes) and have someone to converse with, without the morning shower of kisses and extended family fiestas every weekend.

If you are used to big families, long dinners, and frequent text messages, look at warmer, more traditional countries, such as Spain, Greece, or Italy. In these countries, the concept of family is emphasized, so you will have plenty of opportunities to spend endless afternoons learning top-secret recipes passed down through generations, playing hide-and-seek with two dozen cousins, and have no shortage of aunts and uncles to take you to a sunny beach on the weekend.

If you would like to leap off the bandwagon and impress your classmates with stories of lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!), living with a homestay can be a great introduction to a foreign land that you might not want to tackle on your own. Take comfort in the fact that your Host Dad will explain the trick behind chopsticks in Japan, your Host Uncle will point out the difference between puffins and penguins in South Africa, and your Host Sis will teach you the differences between elephant tusks and molars in India.

Regardless of where you end up finding a homestay abroad, cultural specifics are different and benefits are many. Keep an open mind as this two-way adaptation process takes place, and you will find a family that will offer a helping hand, a grammatical correction, and a big hug when the need arises.