One of the more difficult decisions I had to make during the application process for Temple Japan was what type of housing I preferred. For me, it was between one of the dormitories or a homestay. After a lot of consideration, I decided a homestay was the best option for me. It would be the best way to improve my proficiency in the language and would create an opportunity for me to create a lifelong relationship with a new family.
This ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, but it didn’t start out that way. Upon arrival at my homestay, things were going really well. I got along with my host mother and son, and it seemed like it was going to be a great semester. However, things sort of changed a couple of weeks into the semester. While I can speak some Japanese (I personally think you should try to learn at least some of the language, both to show respect to the family and to create a stronger bond with them), I am by no means fluent. This ended up creating some communication errors and misunderstandings for both parties. That doesn’t have to be a deal breaker on its own, but combined with lifestyle differences, eventually it got to the point where we both decided it was best for me to find another place to live. There were no hard feelings between us; sometimes things just don’t work out and that’s okay!
But like I said, doing a homestay did end up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Rather than move into a dorm, I stayed true to my original goals and mindset and wanted to try another homestay. Nextage (the company TUJ recommends going through) was very helpful through this process and introduced me to my next family.
It’s been about 3 months since then, and I can truly say I’ve found a home away from home. Hiroko, Atsushi (the parents), and Hiromasa (their son, my age!) have shown me nothing but kindness and generosity. We share all of our meals together, sharing stories about our lives and finding out how much we have in common, even among all the obvious differences. A bonus is that Hiroko makes some of the best food I’ve ever tasted; I literally look forward to every meal. They often take me out to explore places around Yokohama (where we live, about an hour south of Tokyo by train), exposing me to Japanese culture on both a broad scale and on a more personal level. We’ve even talked about Hiromasa coming to my home in the States next year– that’s how strong of a bond we’ve all created together. It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am to have been welcomed into their home. They have made all the difference to my experience living in Japan.
Be sure to read my friend Kyla’s post about her homestay and check out some of the other posts from students in Japan!