Not all homestays are made equal. I did not realize this at first – I assumed everyone at the Mariposa Language School had a similar set up to mine, but I guess in some ways I won the homestay lottery. I felt comfortable with Fernando and Fatima. It was like staying at your married friend’s house. It helped that Fatima was a great cook and I liked everything she made for me.

It was a relaxed atmosphere which was needed after 4 hours of formal language classes a day. At the beginning it was tough to talk about complex things, but by the end we discussed the Canadian economy, life in India, politics in Nicaragua and the story of how the two of them met. The fact that neither of them spoke English forced me to use my Spanish. We even watched a Bollywood movie (with Spanish subtitles!) after I found out Fernando is a huge fan.

Not everyone was so happy with their homestay match. For some, I think the culture shock hit them hard. If you’ve never had to take a bucket shower before, or use a latrine, or even a non-flush toilet, it’s definitely a huge leap outside of your comfort zone. Some were legitimate complaints, like house moms who weren’t good cooks, or portion sizes that were too small, or just generally being uncomfortable. But ultimately, I think a homestay is meant to open your eyes and give insight into how locals actually live.

My favourite moment at my homestay was when they brought me to their family lunch on Sunday. Every Sunday the whole family meets at Fernando’s father’s house to just hang out and be with each other. I love that idea. The picture above is of Fernando and Fatima and Fernando’s two younger brothers. They also made sopa, which is basically a stew with a light broth and big delicious pieces of veggies and meat – it’s my favourite Nicaraguan meal and perfect for rainy days.

More pictures of that day below.

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