From Homebody To Homestay Host

My homestay journey began with a phone call from my mother in the summer of 2014. At that time, my mom had been a homestay host for over ten years to students coming to Toronto to study English. As soon as I answered the phone my mothers' voice sounded urgent and panicked. She had inadvertently double-booked with the school she was affiliated with and now it was her responsibility to find accommodations for the overbooked guest. Over the years I met many of her guests and developed friendships, which continued after they returned to their home countries. Keeping this in mind, I told her I would host the student for her.

The timing was conveniently good for my husband and I as our daughter was away at university and we had three empty bedrooms. As it turned out, the school found another host to accommodate my mother’s overbooking, but much to my surprise I felt disappointed. I had been looking forward to hosting this person from a far-off country. My mother must have spoken to the school as not long after they called and asked if I would consider being a homestay host. I said yes, and the rest is history.

My first guest was quite different from the young students I had met at my mother's house. My guest was a 47-year-old professional from Chile whose lifelong dream had been to learn to speak English. She had taken a four-month sabbatical from her job to pursue her dream. The journey was off to a remarkably interesting start.

I have since hosted dozens of students from several countries and have made lifelong friends along the way. I would often tell people that being a homestay host was like traveling without leaving home.

What a journey it has been!