Living in a family
By: Karin Forslund, International Student Coordinator, Education Support Office
You will find plenty of options for short-term accommodation in Hue; hostels, hotels at different price ranges as well as homestays. In order for me to experience more of Vietnamese culture and traditions, I decided to look for housing in a family in Hue. I was very lucky to find my accommodation in a family, whose house is situated in a calm alley close to the river, 5 minutes walk from the university, the university hospital and a lot of nice cafés. I have my own room and bathroom en suite, and a lovely balcony with a small bouganvillea in a pot, which I enjoyed during the first sunny days in Hue.
The family consists of a father, a mother, a son, a grandmother and a maid whose main job is to care for the 93-year old grandmother, who still has perfect sight and hearing and who keeps track of the books every day.
Except for the son and the father, the knowledge of English in the family is very low, so I need to use a lot of body language, and also at times google translate, in order to communicate with the others. They are extremely kind and hospitable, and often invite me to try their food, talk about daily life in Hue, and give good recommendations for places to see and where to eat.
The house has a lovely garden with a small pond, and on top of the roof the family grow their herbs and vegetables. I think, from what I’ve seen, that this is quite a typical family house in central Hue.
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