ESpañol en TOledo
Spanish language courses for foreign students

Advice for foreign students in Toledo

Because we considered it interesting, we have wanted to post this pdf document that a group of students from Ohio University (the 2009 winter group).

The advice below were written by Susan Burton, of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, for a group of students who were going to live with families.

Family Stay TIPS and EXPECTATIONS

Some tips and expectations that you should bear in mind when living with a Spanish family:

You will be living a cultural immersion experience that will require flexibility and patience as well as an effort to adapt to the new environment. Being open-minded and having a positive attitude is extremely important in that process of adaptation.

Living with a host family is not the same as living with your own family but it is also very different to living independently. You should also take into account that home stay experiences can be very different (not better or worse, but different) depending on the family you are assigned.

You should try to keep fluent communication with your host family. That way, you will also practice your Spanish and learn more about the local culture.

Expect to share the bathroom with the members of the family. You will need to be considerate about the time you spend in the bathroom. Notice that hot water and power are expensive in Spain. Use them moderately and try to limit your showers to a maximum of 10 minutes.

Try to adapt to meal times. Food is a very important part of the Spanish culture and a lot of social interaction takes place around meals.

Be prepared to adapt your diet to local customs. Let your family know about your likes/dislikes. In any case, you will also be expected to try many new things and to adapt to the host family meal plan.

Do not expect to have Internet at home. In most cases, host families do not have Internet access. Overall, computer facilities are not as common in Spain as in the US, and they are not part of the services provided in the family stay option. Therefore, we recommend all students that they bring their laptop for their personal use. There is WIFI connection at the University.

You are not expected to spend all your spare time with the host family. However, so you should plan to spend some of your time with them in order to enjoy all the integration opportunities that the family will offer you.

Let the family know about your class schedule. You should always inform them about your traveling plans. If you plan on spending the night out, they should also be informed.

If you wish to bring a friend home, it is very important that you first ask your family. If you plan to have visits from friends or family staying in Toledo, the standard procedure is to arrange their accommodation at a youth hostel or a hotel.

Español en Toledo : Plaza de Padilla s/n : 45071 Toledo : Spain
Phone (+34) 925 26 57 28 - Fax (+34) 925 26 57 61 E-mail esto@uclm.es