Staying with host family not only allows us to know the local culture, it also broadens our experience with people from outside countries working as expats. We get to know their realities of life. It helps us learn about what living style and type of houses we like and don’t like for our own future and how living in a third culture could look like for us. We met singles, married and couples with kids. Staying with them gave us a glimpse of what lifestyle we would like for our future family and home.

There are two main reasons for people to host: for local Korean, some of them have overseas experience and they want to keep living their travelling dream by hosting travelers from other countries as they cannot travel at this season of their lives occupied with work or family responsibility. There are also expats who like to host. Usually they get a good job in Seoul and the company provides nice accommodation. They would love to have new friends visit them and make some good memories together. No matter what are the reasons behind, most people who are willing to open up their home for strangers to stay are incredibly gracious and generous.

One time, we stayed with a Russian guy. As an expat working for a prestigious job, he had a very classy and spacious home. Everything is perfect except the kitchen was a mess. There were used dishes of three weeks in the kitchen, taking up every single workspace and the sink was leaking. Dan initiated to help cleaning and restoring the kitchen. We both wanted to do something nice for our host as he probably would not have much time to clean. We spent the next day cleaning all dishes and the whole kitchen. It was more loving and meaningful to serve together than going out touring that day. I came to realize how much Dan was capable of fixing things and how much he cared for others. We were able to work together. As the host returned, he was very happy and offered us vodka!