Renting our a room in your home: Cassandra's story of becoming a host
There are always multiple reasons to start hosting. Visiting host Cassandra in Nijmegen we learn about her motivations to start hosting with Hospi Housing.
Recently, Hospi Housing embarked on a tour across the Netherlands to visit our hosts and students and hear their success stories. Our journey took us to the beautiful city of Nijmegen, where Cassandra lives. Excited, we rang her doorbell, and moments later, she greeted us with a beaming smile. Cassandra welcomed us into her home, where we shared a warm cup of tea and listened to her story about deciding to become a host—a decision that proved to be incredibly rewarding. Now, she and her tenant, Ikenna, share a home while respecting each other’s boundaries.
Reasons to rent out a room in your home
Help yourself and someone else
Asking Cassandra how she decided to become a host, she shared several reasons with us. After her children had moved out, she mentioned initially feeling quite lonely, having an entire house to herself. Additionally, she was struggling financially and realized that renting out a room could provide much-needed income while helping address the housing shortage for students. "It's a win-win situation," she said. "I can reduce my financial stress and offer accommodation to students."
Meeting new people
Another reason for becoming a host is her love for meeting new people and exploring new cultures. "Having a student in your house can offer so many happy moments," she shared. Cassandra enjoys seeing things from different perspectives and experiencing diverse cultures, which makes her routine more vibrant and fulfilling. There is a lot of "reuring," as the Dutch would say. Cassandra loves traveling to new countries, and she said that hosting students gives her a similar experience in reverse. Instead of traveling to discover new cultures and traditions, she gets to enjoy them right at home through her students.
Provide inspiration
Cassandra also told us about the positive influence a previous student had on her son's life. This student, who was studying psychology, inspired Cassandra's son to pursue the same degree. "My son was feeling a little uninspired about his future career, but after hearing the student talk passionately about becoming a psychologist, he decided to follow the same path. She had such a positive influence on my son's life," Cassandra said.
Daily life of Cassandra and Ikenna
From Nigeria to the Netherlands
Student Ikenna moved to the Netherlands to study International Business Communication at HAN University of Applied Sciences. Although finding accommodation was a challenging journey, everything worked out in the end. He has a nice room and is conveniently close to the university. Additionally, he mentioned that Cassandra’s house has a wonderful garden, perfect for relaxing or providing a refreshing change of environment to help focus better on assignments.
Experienced host
Cassandra had hosted multiple students from all over the world before Ikenna moved in. Curious about their host-tenant relationship, we asked Cassandra how much time they spend together. Ikenna is quite busy with his studies and work. Also, he spends a lot of time in Almere, where his girlfriend lives and which is rather far away from Nijmegen. Cassandra shared that while she would ideally like to have a closer relationship and spend more time with Ikenna, she understands his busy life. But despite their different schedules, they respect each other’s space and have built a strong foundation of communication.
House rules
When asked about house rules, Cassandra explained, "I don't have many rules, to be honest. Ikenna is free to bring people over, use the kitchen whenever he needs, and I made sure to clear some space in the fridge and cabinets before he moved in." She added, "Everything is easy with him. My children can be complex and difficult to handle at times, but the students are always polite and easy to communicate with."
Finally, we asked Cassandra for advice for potential hosts. She emphasized the importance of being adaptable and having good communication skills. "Every student is unique and has a different story," she said. "If you are respectful of that, the experience is incredibly rewarding."
Our conversation with Cassandra was heartwarming and rewarding, especially hearing how well things are going with Ikenna. Interested in having a similar experience or curious what Homestay rental can benefit to you? Sign up now and we will guide you along every step.
Curious to read more about the stories of our hosts and students? Read about Zoë's experience of living with a host family in Utrecht or learn more about the reasons to start hosting from host Sheila in Amstelveen.