My Experience So Far

Hi guys,

I just thought that I’d share my experience so far. I have two 19 year old Chinese boys.

I am a 61 year old single male and I run a busy trade business.  I have two daughters, 35 and 31 years old and 3 grandkids in other cities.  I am a keen bushwalker and rock climber and motorcyclist.

Hosting gave me a new challenge.  I have lived alone for a while in peace with my 8 year old border collie / kelpie.  The house is tidy to my standards.  I was heavily involved with my daughters when they were teenagers and early twenties and I like young people. I bought new single beds and Manchester and set up the rooms.  I know how to cook and just need a good reason.

I wrote up this menu planner.  My biggest worry about cooking is working out what to cook at the last moment.  I am really big at early rising and think nothing of cooking a meal or two at 5am and then freezing it for later:

Weekly Meal Planner

My biggest surprise has been that both of my homestays aren’t interested in food. They just don’t seem to care. They eat it (and love it) when it’s on the table but they’re not big on planning.  They’ve wolfed down the butter chicken, spag bol and the lamb roast. Stir fry beef and broccoli was improved to stir fry beef and veges cause “broccoli tastes like grass.” #mustbecookingitwrong

I remember on Monday spending a bit of time getting the lamb roast right.  I yelled out to student 1:

“Dinner is ready.  Are you hungry?”

Student 1: “Not really” #payback for decades of being a husband.

One of my homies is interested in exercising.  The other is allergic to it.

Homie 2:“Do you have a Uber account?  I want to go to the gym”

Me: “No.  I don’t. What will you do at the gym? Will you use the walking machine?”

Homie 2: “Yes, maybe.”

Me: “Save the Uber money and the gym money and just walk to the gym and back”

Homie 2 has a good sense of humour and saw the irony.

Homie 1 spent all last weekend in his pyjamas and in bed.  I came home from a 20km bushwalk on Saturday and asked if he’d like to walk the 1km to the shops and get some fresh air.  He went white at the thought.

My sister has a 6 year Chinese homestay with her who has become part of her family.  I asked her to come over this week with her teenage daughter and her homie for dinner to make the guys feel welcome.  I coordinated with my homies.  7pm they both walked in.  “We won’t need dinner.  We’ve been to Maccas.” Hahaha.  Communication.  I had a lovely night with my family.

This has been a great experience for me.  I have learned to adjust my expectations and to provide the assistance that is sought.  I expected to be helping these guys integrate into Canberra and Uni but they have each other and they are resilient.  I have to be ready to react, however.  I needed to drive into the Canberra Centre last night because Homie 1 lost his wallet and credit card and $1000 cash so he needed rescuing.

I was thinking about adjusting to two females next time but I thought the lost wallet.  Homie 1 handled it with annoyance but resilience.  I have had plenty of experience with young daughters in my time and that would drive me crazy.  I’ll stick with boys.

My daughters are delighted that I have someone to care for.  They know how much I enjoy it.