Blog: Our homestay experience as hosts

Seven years ago, we accepted our first homestay student.  We originally decided to become homestay parents to put some additional funds into our mortgage, however we quickly discovered that like most things in life, the more you put in, the more you get back.

Homestay has not only been a learning experience for our students, but definitely also a learning experience for us.

We make a point of wanting to know how our students progress with their studies.  This is to not only to understand challenges they face but also recognise achievements.  We say, “your results are our results”.   It helps them to understand that adults are listening as they become one.

We are blessed to have had some beautiful young people come into our lives through our homestay experience. We have thoroughly enjoyed our homestay experience.  We have learnt a lot from our students.  We have made some lifelong friends and have acquired some ‘daughters’ since we became homestay parents.

We have a wonderful success story… Tiffany was 17 and our first homestay student.
Tiffany has completed her Commerce degree with UQ. She has completed her CPA and is employed as a Finance Officer.  Tiffany is now a permanent resident and has applied for citizenship here in Australia! She recently bought her first piece of real estate – a townhouse – 5 minutes away from us. When she started looking at properties, her father in China instructed her that she was not allowed to buy anything unless Brad had seen it and had approved. She shares her home with our third homestay student, Emily, who has returned to Australia to complete her Masters degree.

Advice for hosts and students
If we had any difficulties, we would first discuss them as homestay parents to make sure we were on the same page and were looking for the same outcome or changes.  If we felt the need, we would seek advice from our Host Manager.  We would then sit down with the student/s concerned and talk thought the situation with them, let them know what our concerns were and what our expectations were.  In most cases this has resolved the situation and enabled us to look at a situation from each other’s perspective.

Advice for International Students
We would like international students to know that as they have made a decision to study in a foreign country, there are lots of opportunities for them to experience different things (eg physical landscape, lifestyle, foods, activities etc) which in turn can potentially teach them as much as formal lessons or lectures.  If they open their minds to new things they can gain so much more from the opportunity that has been given to them.

Advice for hosts
We would recommend people becoming homestay hosts.  We have gained a lot from the experience and know that other people will too.