The Joys and Joys of Homestay Hosting.
We have hosted students from overseas for many years and during that time it has been an experience equivalent to a holiday. And one may wonder why…..well, you don’t leave your home, or go to an exotic land, So how come experiencing a holiday!!!
Well let me explain. The holiday comes to you in the form of an overseas student. We often travel to other countries to experience the culture, the people, the food and a change from our daily routines. Imagine enjoying all that when your doorbell rings and on your doorstep you are welcoming someone who will be part of your family and bringing in a whole new experience.
It starts with the joyful anticipation of waiting for the student’s arrival, very similar to having a long awaited friend who has been away, come back home. Only this time you are meeting someone new, with lots to share about their country, their culture, their food, their language and the nice unique way they attempt (often with help from an electronic translator) to speak English.
It all started when our daughter was studying Japanese as a main language in her school in a pilot programme. So we had homestay Japanese girls come to live with us. While they chatted in Japanese, my daughter replied in English. Both were mutually learning and so formed a close bond immediately. Soon we were learning a lot about the Japanese culture, its food, its music and its people while giving them a good dose of the Australian way of life. For example in Japan public transport arrives exactly to the second as mentioned on the timetable. However in Australia it may not, which was very difficult for someone brought up time conscious to comprehend. So while Takashi would arrive a couple of minutes earlier at the bus stop, the bus had either departed earlier than its scheduled time or came a bit later leaving the poor girl wondering.
Remember I mentioned about a holiday earlier….. Well, now that we had Takashi eager to learn about Australia, we actually started going to local tourist spots we normally don’t frequent. We even did outback weekends, something we always wanted to do but never did, until our overseas students came along and we felt encouraged and excited to do. We enjoyed a few more barbeque get togethers and parties at home to introduce and encourage them to converse with our Australian friends. In winter, roasting marshmallows around a small campfire in the backyard (all precaution and fire safety equipment at hand) and singing Aussie folk songs was some of the highlights and memories they would take home to their countries.
Homestay also brings a lot of sadness too. No, not the way you are imagining. It’s heartbreaking when it’s time for the student to leave at the end of their stay with you. Very similar to a family member going overseas for a time. But the best joy, especially for my daughter, was having made new close friends, someone who she keeps in touch with and will one day visit them in their home country. They leave us with lasting memories of a good time shared together as a family.
But the sadness doesn’t last a long time. AHN Homestay ensures its a holiday that keeps on repeating. Before long your doorbell rings ………and there on your doorstep is another student from another country and you are having altogether a new holiday experience right in the comfort of your own home and guess what, you are also financially rewarded while having a great time. Cannot imagine anyone able to offer better suggestions!!!!
Oh, I have to interrupt this to answer the doorbell……..I guess the new homestay student has arrived. I’m on holiday again.
Prabhakar – Sydney
