Annika's Page

How does a Japanese homestay compare to a homestay in another country?
The good thing is that you can learn a lot of things from the family. My host mother corrects the diary that I write in Japanese every day and the homework from my Japanese course at university. She also teaches me about daily life and culture. The thing that is a little rigid is having to obey the family's rules. This is also true in other countries as well, but the lifestyles and the culture of the Japanese people is completely different compared to Europe and America, so I feel doing a homestay in Japan is especially different.

What has surprised you about living with a Japanese family?
In Germany, people do their laundry with hot water, but I was surprised to find that in Japan people use cold water. In Germany, stores are closed on Sundays, but in Japan they are open. When my host mother said she was going out shopping, I thought she was joking.

Do you have any comments for people who are going to do a homestay in the future?
One thing is studying some simple Japanese before doing a homestay. You should read at least two books about Japanese culture. I think this is very important. If you get your homestay preparations done beforehand, I think a homestay in Japan can be a wonderful thing. If you don't prepare, you will probably feel some frustration. Because living alone can really be lonely, doing a homestay is very good. I know taking in a foreigner is a really difficult thing. I am grateful and I would like to say "thank you" to my host family.