Helllllloooooo! Long time no chat! We were scheduled to come back in early March and then the pandemic struck. Now we are all physically distancing and staying at home, so the Homestay Kitchen had to re-work our podcasting schedule to fit our new routine. In the meantime, we thought we'd check in with you. How are you doing? Erin is now the multi-tasker extraordinaire working from home while maneuvering all five of her kids which includes two students. Mary is also navigating working from home w...
Apr 08, 2020•16 min•Ep. 47
It's coming to the end of the year and some students may be leaving or some students may be heading home just for the winter break. Either way, when it's time to drag the luggage out and dust off that passport, we need to start thinking about our pre-departure rituals. What is it like when your student finally leaves? What strategies are you going to put into place when it comes to saying goodbye? In this episode, we tackle the end of the student homestay experience. And since we are talking abo...
Dec 09, 2019•29 min•Ep. 46
Boundaries. We've all got them or we should all have some in place. There are limits and rules to all sorts of things during a homestay experience. Boundaries around the house, food, laundry, safety issues, and even personal boundaries. What are they and how can we enforce them? In this episode, we share our own set of boundaries and how we communicate these rules to our students. What are your boundaries around the house? What challenges do you face when applying these rules? Let us know by ema...
Dec 02, 2019•42 min•Ep. 45
At one point or another, whether you as the host knows it or not, your student will get homesick. Sometimes it'll show through their emotions or difference in actions. Or sometimes, it only happens when they are hidden away in their rooms, when the lights are out trying to fall asleep. When do you intervene and what do you do to alleviate homesickness? In this episode, we go through some of the stories we've had dealing with homesickness. Situations where students feel a longing or connection to...
Nov 25, 2019•26 min•Ep. 44
So what defines a short term student and a long term student? Mary defined a short term student as being anywhere less than 6 months, but after she said that (and even after we finished recording this episode), we were still debating what differentiated a long term student from a short term student. Any way you look at it, hosting short term students and long term students can be very different experiences. In this episode, Mary and Erin go toe to toe on the pros and cons of hosting long term st...
Nov 18, 2019•24 min•Ep. 43
In today's episode, Erin had work to do, so Mary got to chat with Jennifer Longworth from Lexington, Kentucky. A new host parent who's only hosted a total of 3 times for very short periods and all from Japan. We talk through what it's like to be a very new host and what were some of the most surprising aspects of hosting. And it wouldn't be right to talk to our fellow neighbours to the south without pointing out a couple of differences from our countries, like hockey for us and southern food for...
Nov 12, 2019•37 min•Ep. 42
How do you meal prep for your students? What do you incorporate into your meal plans for them? Food is a big factor when it comes to homestay experiences. Not only the culture of different foods to eat and explore, but also how we eat and when. In today's episode, we talk about navigating all the meals of the day including snacks and dessert. We also touch on preventing food waste and figuring out what your students like or don't like to eat. Hopefully, this episode won't make you hungry, but if...
Nov 04, 2019•42 min•Ep. 41
One of the major challenges of hosting international students is to navigate the language barrier. Communication is key to any relationship, so how do you have the confidence to speak your mind when your student doesn't speak your language? At times you need to be fearless and in today's episode we chat with Heather Thompson who shares this grit with a side of humour. Heather and her family of four has hosted 13 students over 5 years. She discusses her experience as an international student when...
Oct 28, 2019•50 min•Ep. 40
Culture shock can come in many different forms, not just language for international students. From food, to hygiene, and even the way people dress. It's not about what each culture is doing right or wrong, but about how things are done and are acceptable in different countries. Culture shock can be entertaining and fascinating to new students at first, but then it could also lead to confusion, feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and disoriented, which could induce homesickness. So what is this cycle a...
Oct 21, 2019•35 min•Ep. 39
When you decide to host international students in your home, it's not an easy decision, especially if this is your first time. And even if you have hosted before, sometimes you've got to weigh the pros and cons. There are so many details that could be overlooked and really, you don't know what you don't know. So we tapped into the knowledge of Tatiana Robertson, who has hosted short and long term students from all over the globe for over seven years. In today's episode, we chat with Tatiana, who...
Oct 14, 2019•56 min•Ep. 38
What are some of your favourite things? Things to indulge in, to keep you calm, or things that you love and won't give up. What can't you live without? In this episode, we go through some of our favourite things. Whether they are student-related or personally loved by us, we share what keeps our hearts-a-flutter. Full disclosure, there's a lot of food-related items. So get to know us and then let us know if you love the same things. Or if you have something that we need to know about. Maybe one ...
Oct 07, 2019•44 min•Ep. 37
This is part two of our conversation with Jennifer Wilson, the Managing Director of the Canada Homestay Network. As relationship experts, they are not only working with you as a homestay host, but also juggling relationships with agencies, student's parents, and of course, the students themselves. However, in this episode, we hear how Jennifer's role reverses by sharing her experience of being a parent sending her daughter to study abroad. Plus, we discuss the future of the homestay industry, an...
Sep 30, 2019•25 min•Ep. 36
How do you build a successful relationship with homestay students? You ask the experts. In this episode, we chat with Jennifer Wilson, the Managing Director of the Canada Homestay Network. As a second-generation leader of the Canada Homestay Network, Jennifer is passionate about creating opportunities for building relationships, and believes that homestay offers a unique opportunity for all of us to break down cultural barriers and make the world a smaller place. In part one of this two-part int...
Sep 23, 2019•39 min•Ep. 35
So with summer here in the Northern Hemisphere fading away, it signals the time for back to school. Which means previous students have left and new students are arriving. What does that mean for your family? Students arrive all throughout the year, but summer and September are the high seasons for student arrivals. In this episode, we talk through what has happened in our homestay lives since our last episode, what is to come for the new school year, and how nerve-wracking it can be for students...
Sep 16, 2019•45 min•Ep. 34
We are taking a couple weeks off to be out in the sunshine, experience a little bit of travelling, and visiting family, so no new episodes this week. In the meantime, I just wanted to pop in quickly and say thank you for subscribing to the show and we will be back in time for the upcoming school year - before August is finished. Time to already think about your upcoming students arriving for the new school year... Or perhaps you are doing a quick short stay placement in August. Or enjoying a stu...
Jul 29, 2019•2 min
What if we had a day to celebrate our world's diversity by bringing the world to your doorstep? Well you're in luck. World Student Day is on July 26th, 2019. This free public event is happening across Canada brought to you by Languages Canada, the voice of the Canadian language education sector. On today's episode, we bring you Felicity Borgal and Linda Auzins from Languages Canada. Felicity has been with Languages Canada for over six years and she is now the Officer for Research and Special Pro...
Jul 22, 2019•37 min•Ep. 33
Homestay families can be any structure you can think of. Older couples with room in their home, singles, parents with or without kids; as long as you have a spare room and are welcoming to people into your home, you can host! However, if you have kids, hosting students can really be a way to include teachable moments for your own children. There's a whole world that opens up for your kids. Whether it's the global community or the little world within a child's mind, people grow more fully with an...
Jul 15, 2019•41 min•Ep. 32
Hot town, summer in the city! This time of year is perfect for heading outside, exploring our natural playground, and taking in all the great summer events that are ideal to be a tourist in your own hometown with your international student. If you've been wanting to get your feet wet with becoming a homestay host, this is the ideal time. It's when students are travelling during the school break or have summer holidays with their school groups. International programs are usually in high demand fo...
Jul 08, 2019•36 min•Ep. 31
There is a very famous "I am Canadian" rant that went along with a beer commercial back in the late '90's. In the same vein, in this episode we talk about how we love all things Canadian. It's Canada Day and we are proud Canadians who will share with you some of our favourite or well-known Canadian musicians, inventions, and of course, we wouldn't be the Homestay Kitchen without talking about food. We also shed light on why we are so apologetic, friendly, and full of multiculturalism. So sit bac...
Jul 01, 2019•41 min•Ep. 30
Each student has separate, distinct connections with every member of your family. These connections build bonds to strengthen those networks, especially in a crisis. Or perhaps those connections could never be linked. Some relationships are not meant to be and having an awareness of these friendships, or lack thereof, are key to successful placements of international students. Today, we chat with Dean Fox, a veteran homestay host with his wife and two kids. Dean shares with us his perspective of...
Jun 25, 2019•43 min•Ep. 29
With new students coming into your home, it's always tough for them to adjust to a new culture. One way we believe that will help support your students in having better success at achieving a great experience, is to make friends. Getting students to make friends is hard, especially when they are here for a short term or with a group from their own school. Coming into a new culture, having the time to settle in, and then on top of that, having to make friends can be daunting, but don't you worry....
Jun 17, 2019•26 min•Ep. 28
Being a homestay parent comes with many challenges and rewards. If you are new to hosting or considering taking on this gratifying experience, you'll want to listen to our chat with seasoned host parent, Jodi Johl. Jodi has great tips for new homestay families about not overthinking it and how a joke can go a long way in settling in with your new student. She also shares how hosting students can have different choices based on your lifestyle, as she reminisces about her past students when she ha...
Jun 10, 2019•35 min•Ep. 27
This episode about what not to do as a homestay parent has a lot of laughter. Not because the subject matter isn't serious, but because humour boots creativity and problem-solving. Laughter encourages risk-taking and develops thinking skills that we use to analyze situations to create more positive outcomes for you as a host and your student's experience. These tips are for all host families and cultures to help integrate your student into their new surroundings. So listen in on what you should ...
Jun 03, 2019•34 min•Ep. 26
Food brings people together, but what if food becomes a barrier? Eating disorders are mental health issues and some students arrive with a negative dependency on food, without you even noticing. So what are the clues? Today, we chat with Carla Beer-Carpenter, a registered dietitian for almost 30 years with a passion for helping people improve their relationship with food while working towards their health and nutrition goals. In this episode, she shares tips and signs to look out for with studen...
May 27, 2019•45 min•Ep. 25
Okay let's get real. One of the top or main reasons families participate in a homestay program is so that they can make some money or at least they think they can. Heck, it's why we both started looking into the opportunity for our own families. However, over time it becomes more than that. We've made real connections with people all around the world. But yes, in an exchange, there is a remuneration. But what does it actually cost to host a student? Have a listen to where our money goes into hos...
May 20, 2019•42 min•Ep. 24
How do your intentions bring out the best in your family to have a successful homestay experience? What differences do the big city of Toronto and the west coast of Canada provide to an international student? In this episode, we chat with Rosalyn Benatar, a recent transplant from Toronto to Victoria, BC. She shares her hosting experience from her perspective of living in the biggest city in Canada. She also reveals why you need to keep a positive attitude and an open heart when hosting internati...
May 13, 2019•35 min•Ep. 23
Mother's Day, in North America where we are and in a large portion of the world, is May 12th. To mark this occasion, we give examples of how we mother our international students... or not. It really depends on the situation, the student's needs, and your own parenting views. Whether you actually have your own kids or not, you are still a homestay parent and this comes with some responsibility. In this episode, we share our stories of Erin's way vs. Mary's way, of being a homestay Mom and the une...
May 06, 2019•32 min•Ep. 22
How do you say something in North American English versus British English? Throw in an accent and you can very well have an extremely funny scenario. In this episode, we get into the difficulties of learning English and how you need to see the humour in embarrassing situations. When your student enunciates a word differently, this could result in miscommunication. We provide plenty of examples of how saying a word slightly different can lead to some very awkward situations. But we do it all in s...
Apr 29, 2019•31 min•Ep. 21
In this episode, we share our top 5 reasons for hosting an international student. There are so many points, but these 5 things are the core of what we do and love. They encompass our own personal values and how those desires play a significant role in our everyday lives. Living and sharing our day to day with our students has definitely changed our outlook on a few things. What are your top 5 reasons? Or have you got a reason similar to ours? We'd love to hear about it! Email us at homestaykitch...
Apr 22, 2019•42 min•Ep. 20
What happens when you open up your curiosity as a student or as a homestay parent? Education is essentially curiosity. We love this perspective from our guest on the show today. We really enjoyed our chat with Greg Demmons, who currently serves as the Vice-President of the Co-op Board and the original founder of Real English Victoria. He's learned a lot of lessons through teaching English since 2003, with 10 of those years in Japan and South Korea. He's passing on this unique perception to you a...
Apr 15, 2019•36 min•Ep. 19
