A: Excuse me. Could you tell me what the Homestay Programme in the brochure is?
B: The Homestay Programme is designed to promote friendship and language learning. We try to provide the opportunity for cultural exchange between Canadians and international students who attend the university. Local people open their homes to students so that they may experience an exchange of friendship across cultures. Many friendships that last a lifetime have developed from these stays.
A: I see. What kind of families do you choose for the hosts?
B: All kinds of families participate in this Homestay Programme. There are single people with or without children, as well as couples with or without children.
A: Are they Canadians?
B: Yes, of course. They are Canadians of many races and cultures, for example, they may be originally from Asian countries, so do not expect that your hosts will be Caucasian. But all hosts will speak English fluently, but some may have accents.
A: Do the hosts know this programme well?
B: Yes. The homestay coordinator has visited each family and provides information on the programme and explains the responsibilities of the host. They look for people who are kind and friendly and enjoy meeting students from other countries. They make sure the hosts understand that this programme is not designed for their financial gain.
A: It sounds good.
B: If you are interested, you can apply for this programme. Here is some more information to help you understand the programme.
A: What is it?
B: You must be willing to communicate with the hosts to establish a good relationship with them. This communication will require honesty, patience and effort because cultural and language differences sometimes create misunderstandings and confusion. You must be willing to interact with the hosts.
A: That's what I expect to do.
B: Good. The hosts will be concerned about you and will want to do all they can to help you achieve success. They will encourage you to discuss your thoughts and feelings openly with the host family. If a problem arises that you cannot resolve in this way, the homestay coordinator is always available to help you.
A: Thank you very much. I think I'd like to apply for the Homestay Programme.
B: That's good. You can go to the Homestay Office to fill in some forms. I hope your experience will be a positive one.