Since I arrived in Auckland, I've been living in a home stay. Now, however, I'm moving out and I'm going to share a rented house with other people. With that in mind, I believe now I have a good knowledge on how it is like to live with a foreign family, so, I'm going to share with you some Pros and Cons regarding my personal experience:
## Pros ##
1) It's a good chance to practice your English.
2) Privacy - You usually have your own room for moments of privacy.
3) You don't need to make your own dinner (95% of the families prepare the dinner for you).
4) I could get a ride to downtown every morning.
5) My home stay mom went pick me up in the airport for free (keep in mind that this is very rare though. The families usually charge you about NZ$ 40.00 to go pick you up at the airport). This was really helpful (especially because I arrived in the middle of the night and, as you could see in this post, the street lighting isn't very good in Auckland).
6) There are no bonds to pay.
## Cons ##
1) Price - It is more expensive than a shared/rented house.
2) The home stay is usually not close to the city center.
3) You have to cope with a few unpleasant habits of the family you are staying with.
Of course some of the items above might vary from family to family, but, in short, those were the Pros and Cons I had in living in a home stay.
Now, the question everybody have in mind: Is it worth to stay in a home stay? Well, my answer is: yes, it is! At least for the first week, I would recommend you to stay in a home stay. Unless your family is composed just by a bunch of idiots that treat you exclusively as an extra source of income, they are likely to help you and to give you valid tips in the beginning. Also, during the period you stay with them, you can get more comfortable in the city and go find another place by yourself.
Remember, just go to another country with an open-mind and I am sure you'll have a great time in your home stay!
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