Some of the best study abroad experiences come from unexpected circumstances. When the Multiculturalism in Jordan program location moved to Morocco several weeks before departure, it changed the program’s structure: instead of apartments, we would stay with host families.
Pre-Departure
Living with a host family can sound daunting. When I learned soon before departure that our program would require us to live with host families, I felt nervous about what was to come. Many questions raced through my head about my privacy, my autonomy, and what my overall study abroad experience would look like with a host family. How do you navigate living with a family you’ve never met?
The process for getting a host family was highly personalized; each student filled out extensive questionnaires about their personality, interests, and preferred host family placements. We wrote extensively about our interests, hobbies, and living habits. After we submitted these, a few weeks later we received a match with a host family. I opened an email PDF to see a family of smiling faces with names and ages. I was matched with a mother and two daughters who were close to my age. As an only child, I was nervous about living with others, especially a family I didn’t know, but I was also excited to join their cultural practices at home.
Living With a Host Family
From the moment I stepped through the door of our home for the month, I felt instantly integrated into the family that welcomed me with open arms. Over the month, I not only took part in meaningful cultural experiences but also gained deeper insight into subtle aspects of culture through conversations, especially with my host sisters. During our time in Morocco, our host family taught us how to make authentic Moroccan tea, how to cook Tagine (slow-cooked North African stew), took us to our first Moroccan hammam (traditional communal steam bath and deep-cleansing ritual) experience, and helped us learn how to masterfully bargain in the souks (marketplaces). They even scored great deals for us!
Over our shared dinners each night, my roommate and I learned more about different cultural aspects of Morocco than we had in the classroom earlier that day. We talked about our daily lives, our lives back home, and what was happening in Morocco.
However, my fondest memory of my time with my homestay family is sitting around the living room playing various card games. Having me and my roommate teach them some of our favorite card games that we like to play in the United States, while they taught us their version of card games. Through these games, we broke through the language barrier and built a mutual connection while trying to win Go Fish.
Looking Back
Even after my time in Morocco, I still feel connected to that second home through my host family. Staying in touch with them long after I left reminds me of what I learned and the person I became because of that experience.
While having a host family was daunting, it taught me a lot. Most importantly, I made a connection with my host family that extended well past the walls of the Rabat Old Medina. Living with a host family pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me fully integrate into Moroccan culture and the local community, where community is reflected in many practices and ideals.
This blog post was contributed by Mariam Hamouie, Fall 2026 Peer Mentor. Miriam is a second-year College of Natural Sciences student who participated in the Multiculturalism in Morocco faculty-led program (May Term 2026).
