International Students Homestay Expectations

Staying in a Canadian home is a great adventure and can be a lot of fun. It's also a privilege, which means that there are certain guidelines you'll be expected to follow in order to make the experience the best it can be. The family you're staying with will already have certain rules and ways of doing things and, as much as possible, you'll need to fit into their situation. As long as you live in their house, your homestay parents will have authority over you and they'll do their best to exercise that authority appropriately and responsibly. In exchange, you'll be expected to treat them with honour and respect. If we all do our part, we believe that we'll be living up to what Christ expects of us as families.

• Observing mutually agreed upon curfews, bed times and wake up times.
• Participating in family life and making a measurable contribution to the household while at the same time being sensitive to and respecting the privacy needs of your homestay family.
• With reasonable notice, informing your homestay of any change in plans (e.g., not coming home for dinner).
• When you go out, informing your homestay of your whereabouts and leaving contact names and numbers in case they need to reach you.
• Attending church on Sundays, either with your homestay family or your guardian.
• Paying for services that go beyond what is normally required of a homestay (e.g., installation of a private phone line/long distance calls on the family phone/purchase, insurance and maintenance of a vehicle, etc.).

• Breakfasts and lunches – although sufficient food must be provided, who will prepare it?
• Transportation to and from school – in the family car, walking, biking or bus?
• Laundry – although most homes will have a washer and a dryer, who will actually do the laundry?

There are also some things that involve money and letting your homestay know that/when you're leaving…

• You need to pay your homestay $800.00 per month. Ordinarily, you should pay this at the beginning of each month but you could pay differently (once or twice a year – in advance - for example).
• Additional days at your homestay will cost $27.00. For example, if you arrive on the first of a month but leave on the 7th , you would have to pay $27.00 times 7 for those additional days.
• If you are gone for more than 5 consecutive days, you are still expected to pay $14.00 a day for the time that you are gone. That would include times like Christmas, Spring Break or, if you were returning after a certain grade, summer holidays.
• You need to give 30 days notice if you are leaving your homestay.

Finally, we hope that if you have problems with your homestay family, you'll be able to work it out with them. However, if you can't, you are free to talk to Mr. Slofstra, the International Student Coordinator, and he will be happy to help you resolve your difficulties.

We can't begin to cover everything but we hope that the above gives you a start. We believe that if everyone respects each other and stays open and honest, you and your homestay family will really enjoy each other. You'll learn so much and you'll become great friends. Most importantly, we'll be honouring God, who has brought you together in the first place. When we honour him, good things happen. Count on it.

Please print out the Expectations Form and return to the school as soon as possible.

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