7 Reasons Why My Host Family Is Awesome

1. They feed me fried plantains all the time. I think I said at some point that I loved them, and while they’re awful for you (fried in palm oil), they are absolutely delicious. They also make me fresh-squeezed pineapple/grapefruit juice regularly.


2. They’re ridiculously patient with my French. They’ll sit there and wait for me to hammer out a sentence rather than just tell me what I want to say. My French was nonexistent when I moved in, but because they help me practice, it’s getting better quickly.


3. They think I’m endearingly hilarious. I can’t correctly wash my clothes by hand, I use a fork all the time, my French vocab is limited, and I get waaaay too excited about fried plantains. They look at me, laugh, and say, “Ah, Melissa…” about 30 times a day, and I laugh with them. Oh, Benin.


4. They gave me a sweet room with my own bathroom. Some of my friends live in teensy little houses with roach and rat problems, have to share the bathroom with gigantic (and not shy) families, and have families that constantly ask them for money/clothes/gifts. I have to deal with none of those things.


5. They don’t ask me for things. I can’t tell you how rare that is here.


6. They let me have alone time. In a culture where community is everything, the idea of free time is often lost. My host family asks me why I didn’t come down to chat (they want me here!), but they won’t come badger me. Amazing.


7. They care about my safety. Once, I got home at 7:30pm (just before dark), and Maman gave me a short lecture about being home on time so I don’t get hurt or lost. Kind of annoying to suddenly have a babysitter, and I wasn’t thrilled about the 7:15pm curfew, but it’s sweet that they’re so worried about me.