Homestay offers next best thing to living at home

By Dawn Densmore

When you are far from home, the kindness of strangers can be very important.

For that reason Algonquin offers accommodation through their Homestay program to international students who are wishing to live with a Canadian family while attending school.

 Whether for a year or five months the Homestay provides a safe base to start off in Canada.
Chris Fitzgerald, co-ordinator of the Homestay program, estimates they service around 100 students a year, and have 70 active host families at this time.  The students come from China, Korea, Mexico, Venezuela, Eastern Europe and Russia to name a few. 

The program is also open to professors wanting to come and shadow another professor in their chosen field.

When a host family applies they are required to fill out an application, which is followed with an at-home visit done by Fitzgerald.

"I personally visit the home and interview the family, I see where the student will be living, whether it is a busy house, lots of kids, or a quiet house," said Fitzgerald.  "The needs of each student are unique.
"I am not going to put a student who wants peace and quiet, with a family who has several young kids, and pets," said Fitzgerald.

Dina Eggarhos is part of the Homestay program.  She has been opening her home to students for the last 15 years.  She lives walking distance from Algonquin, and has two women students who come from Russia and Korea.  She has also had professors from China, Thailand, and Russia.

"I have hosted over 100 students in 15 years, it is such a nice experience to learn from all the different cultures," said Eggarhos.

A host family works hard to make the student feel comfortable and at home, including them in their daily activities.

"I try hard to please, I have learned some Korean and Japanese cooking," said Eggarhos.
When a new student arrives at the home of the host family, the first thing to do is,
"call home," said Fitzgerald. 

It is so important for the family to know their son or daughter has arrived safe, and important for the student to talk to their family.  Usually the next day, the house rules are gone over.

"All of my students do their own laundry and pick-up after themselves," said Eggarhos.

Fitzgerald is an emergency contact for all students, and keeps himself aware of how the placements are going.  He is available to all, whether it is the students, the host family or the student's family they can call him at anytime.

"I have been woken up in the middle of the night, by a student's family member, who isn't realizing the time difference, just to talk about how their child is doing," said Fitzgerald.

There truly is no place like home, but programs like Homestay try to offer the next best thing.