Global family: Why you should consider a homestay

A homestay is a living preference option for students who study abroad. Usually the student can choose to live on the college campus or live in a home with a nearby family. Sometimes the student who lives in a homestay must share a bedroom with an adopted sibling but most times they would occupy their sleeping quarters alone. I wanted to learn about Ghanaian family structures, social norms, traditions, language, the environment, food and create a new extension of my Global family.  

What is a global family? 

A global family is network of individuals all over the world who are all connected to each other through bonds of biological or fictive kinship. I was introduced to this idea from young age because most of my family lives in the Caribbean. In the summer of 2017, I did a research program in Mexico which further extended my global family. As of now, my global family extends from Ghana, Mexico, Dominica, St. Lucia, Canada, Jamaica and the United States. If I ever travel to these places, I know that there are people who will welcome me into their homes and take care of me as if I was their own child.  

Environment 

With this said, establishing a strong network of reliable individuals is essential to the adjustment process. A benefit of living in a homestay is that your host parents will take you along on small trips to the market, to visit family, to church, etc. This process makes you more aware of your surroundings. Because of this constant exposure, you become familiar with both the university’s campus and the Accra region. There is also the possibility that you may have to rely on public transportation. Trotros, taxis, ubers, and buses allow you to travel quickly and see more of the community. 

Language 

Another benefit of the homestay option is language immersion. You will hear a mixture of Twi and English on a regular basis. You will hear these languages together at school, on television, and especially while living with a Ghanaian family. They will become your language tutors and translators.  

Food 

In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, you can have homemade Ghanaian food every day for the entire semester with occasional cooking lessons. In Ghana, many people grow fruits and vegetables in their own gardens. This guarantees access to fresh and healthy food every day. My host parents grow palm fruits, oranges, cocoyam, cassava, coconuts, tomatoes, garden eggs and much more. They also own a bakery which supplies the community with fresh bread and desserts. Staying in a homestay can potentially save students lots of money on food while providing higher quality meals and experiences.  

Traditions and Social Norms 

You learn a lot about different traditions in homestays. Ghana is a country that is home to many ethnic groups. In my context, I am exposed to Akans traditions, beliefs, values, food, culture, etc. When I first arrived, many people kept asking me what day I was born on. In the United States, there is not an emphasis on what day of the week someone was born on. Here in Ghana, members of the Akans ethnic group name their children after the day of the week they were born on. I decided to search up the day after hearing this same question asked by three different people and I found that it was Monday. My host family proceeded to rename me Adwoa Shanon- Imani as part of my new Akans identity. This renaming initiated me into the family.  

On my second day in Ghana, I was invited to my cousin’s customary engagement ceremony. It was amazing and easily the best wedding I’ve ever been to. The ceremony was officiated in Twi so I didn’t know what was going on for most of it. I did appreciate the singing, dancing, colorful outfits, and radiant energy exuding all participants. When I returned home, all of the rituals were explained to me and I left the experience with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the culture.  

Ghanaians are very religious people. This was not a difficult adjustment for me because my dad is a pastor and I grew up in the church. With this said, Ghanaian churches are completely different from American churches. When people go to church in Ghana, they are excited, singing, dancing, praising, and just happy to be in great company. My first visit to a Ghanaian church was very special because the theme was health. There were medical professionals outside of the sanctuary measuring people’s blood pressure and a doctor was speaking to the congregation to inform them of how to maintain their health with cronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. I’m interested in pursuing a career in public health so this service was especially fascinating to me.  

Ghanaian Families and Homesickness 

I am a person who is extremely susceptible to developing homesickness. I come from a family of two parents, three brothers, and two grandmas. I would become homesick even when I was only 3 hours away. Now, I am half a world away from my family and I’ll be here for 5 months. Last summer, I had a great experience in Mexico. I lived with a family and I had 2 parents, 3 sisters, lots of uncles, aunties, cousins, grandparents and a puppy! I loved spending my time in Mexico with that family as Shanon Buenfil Cat. In Mexico, family is incredibly important. In Ghana the sentiment is similar.  

Here in Ghana, there is a lot of value placed on family. In the United States, we have the nuclear and extended family, but in Ghana those concepts aren’t as important. Cousins are your brothers and sisters. Aunts and Uncles are your parents. Your grandparents’ siblings are considered your grandparents too. In my opinion, this mentality supports the idea that it takes village to raise a child. The community is involved in caring for and nurturing children. You will find that neighbors are very friendly and want to show you everything about life in Ghana. In a homestay you inherit a new family and it is not only for the duration of your stay in Ghana.  

Not everyone choses to live in a homestay. If you love being around family, great food, seeing new places, learning about Ghanaian culture, and creating lifelong bonds with people, then this is the perfect option for you. I have only been in this homestay for a month, but I have been graciously cared for, initiated into the family, protected, nurtured, and most importantly just loved. I recommend the homestay option to anyone who sees value in these experiences and would like to have some of their own.