The Homestay Kitchen: Cultural Connections with International Students who Study Abroad

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 while everyone else is also home, so finding a new routine has been challenging. In this episode, Erin is home with our emergency microphone and we recorded this conversation over the internet to make sure we are still social distancing. We wanted to pass along how we are doing, what the homestay situation has been like for us and people we know and finally what to do if you do still have students with you in this ever-evolving situation. All our families are healthy and safe and we hope yours are too. Please let us know how you are and if you do have a student with you, how you are all holding up. You can email us at homestaykitchen@gmail.com or leave us a voice note over on Instagram. Stay strong and we hope this episode can be a bit of light for you during this unprecedented time in our lives. Key Points From This Episode: How Mary’s plans have changed.Erin gives an update on her students. #itsafluidsituationWe talk about family bonding during COVID.Activities to do with your students.How are you coping? Let us know. #virtualhugsCheck in on your students.Stay safe and take care. Links: Disney+ Join our conversation! Email: homestaykitchen@gmail.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen Facebook: www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen

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 about goodbyes, the podcast is going to go on a little vacation too. We, Erin and Mary, will be taking the rest of the year and early 2020 to be with family and celebrate all the winter holidays. In the meantime, take a listen to some of our past 40 plus episodes and catch up if you're new to our show. We'd also love to hear from you about any topic from our episodes or... if you have ideas for future episodes, please let us know! Leave us a voice note and email us at homestaykitchen@gmail.com. Enjoy the rest of the year and have a wicked 2020! Key Points From This Episode: #wearenotonabreak #wailandcryandrefusetogettheirsuitcasesout #weliveindenial #mybagisfull #wrongtonewrongzone Links: Episode 45: Boundaries and Rules During Homestay Experiences Google Translate Air Canada Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 emailing us at homestaykitchen@gmail.com. We'd love to share your feedback on an upcoming episode and answer your questions! In the meantime, listen in to hear what boundaries we've set up for our households. Key Points From This Episode: #peaceofmind #whowouldwin Links: Line App Episode 38: Masterhost Tatiana Robertson Episode 17: Your Student Arrival Guide with a Homework Assignment Episode 8: Building Your Network of People in the World with Veteran Host Parent Mel Kilpatrick Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 someone they are missing back home. In small doses, this is healthy and shows signs of attachments to loved ones; and this can happen to you too when you are homesick for your past students! In larger cases, this is when we need to lean in and even ask for help. So listen in on how homesickness affects those that study abroad and how we approach these situations that can also create a tighter bond between you and your student. Key Points From This Episode: #potentialtriggerscomingyourway #thebookofquotes #leanin #loopin Links: Erin's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Episode 38: Masterhost Tatiana Robertson Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 students versus short term students. Have you hosted both? What's your take on this battle? Let us know why you choose longer or shorter stay students. Email us at homestaykitchen@gmail.com or drop us a comment on Instagram! Key Points From This Episode: #longtermvs.shortterm #wearesocompetitive #doyouwanttohugitout Links: Episode 39: featuring Erin in a suitcase Episode 11: featuring the doggy beds Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 her. Our family has worked with the Lexington Sister Cities program to host a high school student and adult delegate from Japan. We also hosted a college student from Japan through another program. We’ve hosted a total of 3 times. Each visit was a week or less. My daughter takes Japanese at school and has been able to visit Japan twice! It’s only been over the past few years that we’ve been involved. Key Points From This Episode: #wecareabouthorses Links: Lexington Sister Cities Shinhidaka, Hokkaido Japanese American Society of Kentucky Cracker Barrel Restaurant Google Translate Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 it does, you can make that hummus recipe Mary loves and snack on that; just like we did while we recorded this episode. You can find the link in our show notes. Let us know if you try it! Key Points From This Episode: #shesblushing #everybodywantssomethingdifferent #dontletthechildrensee #waittilthechildrenareinbed #plantobespontaneous Links: Mary’s hummus recipe Episode 27: Homestay Family Mindset with Jodi Johl Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 she was young, being a host to students, and even being hosted by a former student in Belgium. Hear what she and her family learned while hosting and how these experiences created a lot of laughter in their lives. Key Points From This Episode: #talkingoveradictionary #youdontunderstandanythingijustsaid #mamabearsontheothersideoftheworld Links: Chicoutimi, Quebec Goldstream Park Salmon Run Google Maps Google Translate Furikake Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 and what signs are we looking for? In today's episode, we go through the 10 steps of culture shock and how it's all part of being a homestay host to international students studying abroad. Key Points From This Episode: #mamabear #resettingthecycle Links: Our conversation with Jennifer Wilson from the Canada Homestay Network Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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, whom Erin crowned the Master Host Mom, not once, but twice in our conversation. Hear her tips on what to do when your student first arrives at your home. She dives deep into responsibilities and obligations as a host and how cultural expectations play a major role in the success of your homestay experience. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Key Points From This Episode: #hostingshorttermvslongterm #clearlydefineyourexpectations #itsoktonotbeok Links: Oak Bay Recreation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tea.robber/ Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 of our future favourite things is actually one of yours that we don't know about yet. So please let us know what you love to keep your life buzzing. Email us or find us on Instagram! We'd love to know. Thanks! Key Points From This Episode: #howmanydoesshehave Links: Tazo Chai Via Venezia Green Lake Kispiox Valley IKEA Cheese Grater Martin Yan Google Translator Google Maps Grammarly Instagram WhatsApp Line Blue Cheese Dressing Game of Thrones The Walking Dead Alias New Girl Gilmore Girls The Vampire Diaries Bones Insight Timer App The Cognitive Shuffle Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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, and dive more into common issues that hosts might navigate through during their homestay hosting journey. Jennifer Wilson is the Managing Director for the Canada Homestay Network. After retiring from practice as a Registered Midwife in 2005, Jennifer joined the family business. She holds an MBA with a specialization in Leadership and is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow. As a second-generation leader of CHN, 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. Key Points From This Episode: #billeting #lifechangingimpressions Links: The Canada Homestay Network Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 interview, we learn about this non-profit society, discuss common issues hosts go through, and how the process for matching students with hosts works. We learned a lot during this conversation and we hope you do too! So grab something to take notes with and maybe a good cuppa tea or coffee and let's settle in with Jennifer Wilson. Jennifer Wilson is the Managing Director for the Canada Homestay Network. After retiring from practice as a Registered Midwife in 2005, Jennifer joined the family business. She holds an MBA with a specialization in Leadership and is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow. As a second-generation leader of CHN, 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. Key Points From This Episode: #pleasecall #askforsupport #comfortfood #nosurprises Links: The Canada Homestay Network Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 who navigate airports all on their own. What has your experience been during the summer or this new school year? We'd love to hear about it, so please email or message us! Now, let's get to the stories. We share a summer worth of travel through Erin's family getaway and Mary's solo travel experience. Key Points From This Episode: #maryleftnotes #happyfionasbirthday #theviewfromtheroad #beatgooglemapstime #areallystrongbond #airporttravelisstressful #feelslikefamily Links: About Berenguer Dolls Jane the Virgin Twister Gulf Islands Google Translate The Terminal Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 student free summer... Whatever it is you are doing this time of year, we hope you enjoy it and just keep going! Have fun! Talk soon! For full show notes and to learn more about the show, please visit www.homestaykitchen.com Join our conversation! Email: homestaykitchen@gmail.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen Facebook: www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen

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 Projects. This is the sixth year that Felicity has coordinated the World Student Day event in Canada. Linda was the first employee of Languages Canada and she’s been involved with the evolution of standards for language programs, especially those around homestay. Linda is often consulted when there are issues with homestay hosts. So listen in on how World Student Day impacts the students you host and how you can join in on the free fun if it's hosted in your city. Then listen in on how Languages Canada believes the safety of students is paramount and how that pertains to host families, just like you. Felicity Borgal has been with Languages Canada for over six years, starting as an administrative assistant. She is now the Officer for Research and Special Projects. This is the sixth year that Felicity has coordinated the World Student Day event in Canada. Linda Auzins, based in Aldergrove (British Columbia), was the first employee of Languages Canada and previously worked for 10 years for Canadian Association of Private Language Schools which merged with another association to form Languages Canada in March of 2008. For the past eleven years as the Director of Member Services for Languages Canada, Linda has managed member services, and provides board and committee support for the Membership / Conference Committee, Quality Assurance Committee, and the BC Chapter. She’s been involved with the evolution of standards for language programs, especially those around homestay. Linda is the initial point of contact for most general and member inquiries and often consulted when there are issues with homestay hosts. Key Points From This Episode: #thestarshavetoalign Links: Languages Canada Twitter Languages Canada Instagram Languages Canada Facebook Languages Canada World Student Day World Student Day 2018 Video How to start hosting international students today Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 expanded mindset when the world is at your doorstep. In this episode, we take a look at how students have impacted our own children and the benefits that come along the way. Key Points From This Episode: Links: Canada Day episode Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 for great host families. So take the plunge and get started hosting. Listen in and we'll show you how! Key Points From This Episode: #hearherjoy Links: Canada Homestay Network Victoria International Education Financial Reality of Hosting Students Our conversation with Greg Demmons Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 back and enjoy this, our reason of why we are Canadian; as the rant goes, "I believe in peacekeeping, not policing. Diversity, not assimilation. And that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal!" Happy Canada Day! Key Points From This Episode: #justkeepgoing #weareamosaic #shinebright #imsorry #erinisjonsnowreally #wegettherecipe Links: I am Canadian Rant Butter tarts Poutine Justin Bieber Drake Celine Dion Gord Downie Tessa Virtue Scott Moir Kiefer Sutherland Tommy Douglas Designated Survivor Sandra Oh Killing Eve Bob and Doug McKenzie Gilmore Girls Mary’s Maple Pork Tenderloin Recipe The Benefits of Talking to Strangers Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/

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 being a homestay Dad with a very practical and matter of fact frame of mind. He describes how miscommunication can happen even when no words are being used and how his family even vacationed to Disneyland with another student. We hope you enjoy his insight into making a connection with students and how providing a good foundation of boundaries leads to success. Enjoy! Key Points From This Episode: #justdoit Follow Us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/homestaykitchen/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/homestaykitchen/ Web – http://homestaykitchen.com/