A Glimpse into Homestay
Written By: Susan Lackan (H.BA, TESL Instructor)
When international students are thinking of studying abroad, locating a place of residence can be quite challenging. One of the options that most educational institutions in Canada offer is called the Homestay program. Homestay can simply be defined as an international student being placed in the home of a family.
In order for a family to be able to host an international student, they must undergo a series of requirements. For example, each educational institution sends a representative to the home of the prospective homestay family. This representative interviews the family, and inspects the home to ensure that it is clean. Some educational institutions also require that the prospective family undergo a police clearance check, in order to ensure that they are law abiding citizens. Homestay is a wonderful option for students who are looking for a place of residence because it not only allows them to have the support of a family during their studies, but it also allows them to integrate into Canadian culture with ease. In major cities such as Toronto, which houses many colleges and universities, and many international students get accepted every year, the demand for Homestay is quite high. In such cities, more technical colleges than universities tend to offer the Homestay program.
Generally speaking, most Canadian families in Toronto charge a monthly rate of $700 to $800 Canadian dollars. The monthly rate is usually lower as students move away from the city centre or if they are in less populated provinces. The amount is paid by the student to their educational institution, which in turn pays the host family. This option may seem cheaper than on-campus residence in most education institutions in Canada. The monthly rate includes a private bedroom that is equipped with a bed, a desk and a chair, and a closet or dresser. The monthly rate also includes a nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with wireless internet access. Students can make special requests when they apply to be placed with a homestay family. For example, they can request a family that has no pets, and that is willing to prepare special dietary needs such as halal or vegetarian meals. Some host families are willing to do the laundry for their students, but if they are not, students are generally granted full access to the home's laundry facilities at designated times.
Homestay like any other arrangement can have both its pros and cons. The pros of homestay are that new students to Canada have the support of a family in what can be a difficult transition period. Almost everything is taken care of by the host family. Meals are cooked for you, your laundry may be done for you, and the home is cleaned for you. In terms of cons, the main one that students experience is that the host family does not fulfill their duties. For example, they may not provide you with nutritious meals, they may not spend time with you, and they may not provide you with a clean place to live. If you find yourself in this situation, you will have the full support of your educational institution. Once you voice a complaint or a concern to them about your homestay family, they will relocate you to another family within the duration of a week.
My family and I have been a homestay family for five years. During that time, we have hosted students from a variety of countries such as Brazil, Japan, Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. These students have generally come to Canada to attend schools to learn to speak, read and write English. From there, many of them have progressed to complete 4-year undergraduate degrees. It has been such a rewarding experience assisting these students with their English skills, and helping them to learn and to integrate into Canadian society.
As a host family member, I highly recommend considering homestay as an option for your residence when you come to Canada for your studies. If you have any questions regarding the homestay program, I would suggest contacting your prospective educational institution. For students from the Sri Lankan community, they should also consider contacting the Sri Lanka consulate general's office, local organizations or Buddhist temples since they may have a list of families that are willing to provide accommodations to students even for a short time period.
This article has been written by Susan Lackan. Susan graduated from the University of Toronto, in Toronto, Canada, with a Hon. BA in English Literature and Religion. She completed the TESL program at George Brown College in Toronto recently, enabling her to teach English as a Second Language. She is also a competitive figure skater and is currently coaching the national figure skating team in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Author : Susan Lackan
Publisher : The Sunday Observer
Date(s) : 12th December 2010
