The Pattison School Homestay program is designed to promote friendship and language acquisition, and to provide the opportunity for cultural exchange between Canadian families and foreign students who attend High School.
Living in a private home, sharing meals and recreational activities, goes far beyond the experience offered in the classroom. It has been proven that students learn English more quickly through the advantages that Homestay provide.
Students must complete an application form at least 6 weeks before arrival. Early application gives plenty of time to place and choose the proper host family for each student.
When the students are filling out the application, they should give as much information as possible. This information makes it easier to find a good match for a student and a host family.
If the student is not satisfied with a host family within the first month of stay, and has a valid reason, the student will be placed with another family at no additional charge.
The student will be provided with a profile of the host family.
Transportation:
Host families are generally located within a 5-minute walk to bus service and within a 45-minute transit ride to the institution.
Accommodation:
Each student will have a private bedroom with furniture, such as a bed, desk, chair, lamp, and dresser.
Meals:
Host families will provide meals. These include: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Breakfast:
Prepared by the student or host family.
Lunch:
Prepared by the student or host family- bag lunch or in the home.
Dinner:
Hot meal prepared by the host family. Assisting with meal preparation is desirable. Student must inform the host family if he/she is unable to have any of the meals provided and let them know when he/she will be home or when he/she is going to be home or where he/she is going, as the host family will worry about the student if they are not aware of the whereabouts of the student.
Laundry:
The host family provides washing machine, dryer, and cleaning supplies. Students are expected to change their bedding and are responsible for their own laundry. Students are expected to clean their room weekly. Assisting the host family with clean up is desirable.
Smoking:
There should be no smoking in the home. Most host families will allow smoking outside only.
Arrival / Check-in time:
The student must provide to Pattison School and the host family the arrival time to make sure that someone will be at the airport and/or at home to greet the student. Also, the host family has the right to plan ahead their own schedule; therefore, it is a matter of courtesy to let them know when you will be arriving to prevent them from waiting for you throughout the whole day with the uncertainty of when you will be arriving. Complete information of your arrival (date, flight #, local time) is also important in case of emergencies, flight delays, cancellations, etc.)
Airport pick up:
Even if the student has not requested airport pick up service, the student still needs to provide this information. In this case, the host family will be advised as to the approximate arrival time of the student and the student will have to find his or her own way to the home.
Note: If the host family is not available at the time of arrival, the school will inform the student and the student will have to make other arrangements until the family can receive the student into the homestay. This delay is mostly caused by the host family members’ schedule and they cannot be home during the day.
Medication:
The names of any special medications that you have to take should be translated into English to make it easier for you, your host parents, and Canadian doctors.
Communication:
Each host family has their own set of rules and guidelines and these should be discussed with the host family within the first week that the student has arrived in the home. The best homestay experience is when you talk to your host family about whatever is concerning you or about what happened to you during your day. In Canada, we like to talk to each other and host families are willing to help you with those things with which you need help.
Communication is the most important thing in a homestay. Talk to your host family if you are troubled or worried. Ask the host family questions often to help the family when and where they might need it. Good words to use when trying to communicate to people are: May I help you? Please; thank you; I am sorry.
Brazil, Grade 11It was a great experience for me because I made new friends and I love the teachers from Pattison School.
When I arrived there, I was a little bit nervous but as soon as I entered the class room, I was treated in an excellent manner and I was friends with all the people.
Thanks Pattison School to give to me a new experience that I will never forget.
