Participating in an international homestay is one of the best ways to experience cultural immersion abroad as you learn about another language, cultural norms and local traditions. Every GSC volunteer has the opportunity to live with a local  Cambodian,Thai or Tanzanian family and truly be integrated with their local community during an experience volunteering abroad with GSC.

Click here to watch the full length Tanzania Video

GSC places volunteers with hosts who enjoy learning about other cultures and appreciate the unique opportunity that hosting an international volunteer gives to their family. Many host families are associated with our project sites and also act as counterparts or mentors during our programs. Host families have been carefully chosen by GSC and our partners, and many have hosted volunteers over the course of several years. Whether you are sharing a spicy som tam (papaya salad) with your new Cambodian or Thai family, or a plate of ugali (corn meal) and sakuma weki (greens) with your Tanzanian hosts, your homestay experience with GSC hosts will provide memories and friendships lasting a lifetime.

Listen to what our volunteers say about the homestay experience…

"I loved the homestay experience, and just the general cultural immersion that GSC offered. To be able to connect with local families and people my age was a really powerful way for me to understand the culture. Seeing the structure of the schools, getting out into the farm villages and just getting around town everyday gave me huge insight into daily life in Arusha."
Meghan Guy, Tanzania HIV/AIDS Program

“I had a wonderful relationship with my host family and I think that Ach is a very hardworking, very welcoming person. She made my experience wonderful. I will certainly keep in touch and plan to visit her again as soon as I can. I feel that she would move mountains if she thought it would make me happy. 'No problem’ was her response to everything I asked!”
Meriel Watkins, Thailand Teach English Abroad Program

"The most memorable part of my experience was meeting the local community and my host family; they taught me a lot about the culture and way of life in Tanzania that I would never otherwise have had the opportunity to learn. They also made me feel at home in their country and eased the whole experience."
Donna Rooney, Tanzania HIV/AIDS Program

"My host family could not have been better--they were truly a home away from home. I learned a great deal about the Thai culture and customs over the past 6 weeks, and nothing can ever change that."
Nirali Bhatt, Thailand International Health Program