Life with Host Family
FLEX Abroad students live with Polish host families for ten months. This incredible experience allows them to build strong relationships with their host parents and host siblings. It is a great opportunity for learning new things about cultures, foreign languages, and customs. This cultural exchange helps to build mutual understanding, trust, and respect.
Host families spend time with their host students chatting, having dinners, travelling, visiting new places, and doing lots of activities together! In the stories below our students talk about their lives with host families from their personal perspective.
Jordan
Jordan lives with host mum Dorota, host sister Zuzia, and Amelia, Dorota’s nice.
As a family, we often have conversations in the evening and on weekends when everyone is home together. We have gone on trips to a few different cities in Poland, and I was ever grateful to visit Berlin as well. In Warsaw, we have gone to various performances and events, and we have also done a few things in the smaller suburb of Warsaw we live in. I am grateful to have a host family that greatly respects my independence and autonomy, which warrants me the chance to spend time with friends and those I have met here on my exchange, yet I deeply appreciate all the time I spend with those kind enough to host me in their home.
Margaret
Margaret lives with host dad Daniel, host mum Agnieszka, host sister Zuzia, and host brother Kuba.
My host family and I are very close! My host parents, Daniel and Agnieszka have been so excited and proud to show me around their incredible country, and we’ve visited so many wonderful places in Poland together. They’ve taught me the beauty of Polish culture through the core values they exhibit daily, and we’ve openly discussed and celebrated the cultural differences between our two countries. It’s been a blessing having gained so much knowledge as a result of their constant patience and generosity.
My host parents, Agnieszka and Daniel, and I during our first trip together in Gdańsk, Poland.
We play lots of games together and it’s so fun learning and teaching new card and board games with them. My host brother, Kuba, especially likes the American card game B.S., and we play it at dinner all the time! It’s also been interesting sharing new foods with each other, and watching my host sister, Zuza apprehensively try a rootbeer float for the first time will forever be a funny memory, alongside many more snacks and foods.
My host family and I visiting the Polish mountains in Zakopane.
One of my favorite memories with my host family was when they eagerly wanted to celebrate the American holiday, Thanksgiving in November! They were so excited, as well as all 20 neighbors. I planned the menu and gathered the family recipes, then with the help of everyone, took lots of grocery store trips, cooked for 2 days, and celebrated a special time of thanksgiving and family.
Maadhavan
Maadhavan lives with host mum Małgorzata, host dad Czesław, and host brother Aleks.
My host family has been great! They were very accommodating, especially in the beginning, which made it easier for me to transition. Some of the most common activities we do together are board games, ice skating, and cycling, which are things that helped build our relationship. Now, at this point in my exchange, I’m very comfortable living with them and will definitely visit if I am ever back in Poland.
Sophie
Sophie lives with host mum Joanna, host dad Marcin, and host sisters: Nina and Lena.
My Host family and I get along very well. I spent lots of time with my Host sisters, Nina and Lena, playing games and going out. The family also spends time all together, eating meals, going on walks, and watching movies. I am incredibly grateful for all of them, and I really do feel like they are a second family to me!
Chase
Chase lives with host mum Danuta, host dad Krzysztof, and host sister Dominika.
My life with Host family is very fun. We often have tasty dinners at home and I go swimming with my host dad most weeks. They are very generous and we sometimes go on trips out of the country.
Jacob
Jacob lives with his host mum Ania, host dad Tomasz, and host sister Ola.
My Host Family and I have gotten really close in the past few months. From daily runs with my host dad to skiing adventures in the Polish mountains, I've had numerous opportunities to experience Polish culture with my host family. Although there have been too many good memories to count, one of my favorites has been running the "bieg niepodległości" (the Polish Independence Day run) with my host dad.
