A homestay in Zambia is a significant part of any volunteer or study abroad program.
Forget travelling like a local, a homestay enables you to live with a local. It doesn’t get more culturally immersive than that. Wherever your homestay is situated, living with a family is an opportunity to experience and adapt to another way of life.
It is also a great way to build an additional support network in your new home, who can show you the best of what their community has to offer and help you to navigate any challenges along the way.
Regarding ecotourism, homestays can also be a powerful tool for cultural and social change, getting money directly into locals’ hands in a way that financially empowers them and the wider community. It also enables tourists – and in my case, volunteers – to gain a better understanding of the community and a deeper respect for the local culture.
Read on for some of the common factors you can expect from a homestay in Zambia…
What does life look like at a homestay in Zambia?
Homestay accommodation in Zambia can range from brick built buildings with tin roofs, more common in towns and cities, to thatched-roof mud huts, more common in rural villages.
When it comes to your host family, it really varies. You could be paired with a single person, a couple or a family with children and pets.
Before your homestay begins, you should be asked to confirm whether you have any allergies, dietary requirements and special requests. This ensures that the host family you are paired with is able to provide you with a safe an comfortable environment.
For example, a person with a cat allergy would not be paired with a family with pet cats, and a person with a vegan diet will be placed with a family that is more aware of what this requires where possible. In Zambia, a person who is nervous of becoming homesick might be placed in an urban homestay where they are more likely to have electricity instead of a rural homestay that might rely on solar power or have no electricity at all.
I volunteered with Restless Development in the rural Zambian district of Kafalulu.
Some projects take place in rural settlements with lots of greenery and open spaces, where you can expect more traditional living quarters.
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While host families in urban communities will likely have working taps and potentially an electric cooker and refrigerator but may be within a more concrete dense environment.
People tend to rise with the sun, as early as 5.00am. Your days will be filled with volunteer workshops but in the evenings, you will have a lot of spare time on your hands.
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Books, board games, cards, tennis balls and arts and crafts can help fill the time and are small enough to squeeze into your suitcase.
Many volunteers also offer tutoring to local adults and children, join community games and network at events.
Volunteers tend to be placed in homestays together and you will most likely be sharing a twin room with somebody of the same gender.
Bedding tends to be simple. Mine included a mattress on the floor, a mosquito net, a pillow and a few blankets for when the temperature dropped at night.
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What can I expect from my homestay in Zambia?
Every homestay is different and no two families are alike which means you and your fellow volunteers will have varying experiences – even if you are placed within the same community.
But what they share in common is they should all check out in terms of being safe and secure.
Your host family, household and community will be risk assessed by in-country staff prior to your arrival to ensure they are safe and suitable to host volunteers. So if you feel something is not right, don’t be afraid to flag it to your team leader.
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Host parents tend to be very welcoming and excited to meet you. You may feel awkward with your host family in the beginning but that’s okay. They are aware you may need time to settle in and have been prepped on the challenges.
Your host family also look out for your welfare and help ensure volunteers follow the code of conduct.
For me, this included being home by the 6pm curfew, abstaining from alcohol and dressing and behaving respectfully.
Making breakfast on the coalsIn the evenings, you are encouraged to eat together – whether your host family are responsible for providing meals or you are given a food allowance.
Homestay Etiquette – Rules and Guidelines
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When you arrive, ask to talk over the programme guidelines. Your host family may be more relaxed or strict about the rules than you expect and they may also have a few household rules of their own.
Remember you are being invited into somebody’s home so it’s nice to offer to help with chores and tidy up after yourself.
At your homestay in Zambia, it’s likely you will wash your clothes by hand. Your host family receive an allowance to cover their costs and should not ask you for money.
But I strongly recommend bringing a welcome gift from back home and giving a parting gift before you go. They will appreciate it more than you know.
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What support will I have?
Travelling half way across the world before moving into your new Zambian digs can feel pretty daunting at first. But don’t panic, it is totally normal.
If you are struggling to adapt to life at your new Zambian homestay, you a big support network depending on the issue at hand:
- Fellow volunteers
- Host family
- Team leader
- Assistant programme coordinator
- Project coordinator
- Community members
If this fails, you can contact the charity’s support team in your home country.
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I’d love to hear about your plans to volunteer abroad. Likewise if you have any questions about what to expect during your homestay in Zambia, send me a message or comment below.
I hope you’ve found this useful.
Until next time,
Laura x
