Episode 35: Part 1 – Homestay Expertise and Building Relationships with Jennifer Wilson from the Canada Homestay Network
How do you build a successful relationship with homestay students? You ask the experts. In this episode, we chat with Jennifer Wilson, the Managing Director of the Canada Homestay Network. As a second-generation leader of the Canada Homestay Network, Jennifer is passionate about creating opportunities for building relationships and believes that homestay offers a unique...
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Episode 34: Back to School and Navigating Airports
So with summer here in the Northern Hemisphere fading away, it signals the time for back to school. Which means previous students have left and new students are arriving. What does that mean for your family? Students arrive all throughout the year, but summer and September are the high seasons for student arrivals.
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Episode 33: World Student Day with Languages Canada
What if we had a day to celebrate our world’s diversity by bringing the world to your doorstep? Well you’re in luck. World Student Day is on July 26th, 2019. This free public event is happening across Canada brought to you by Languages Canada, the voice of the Canadian language education sector.
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Episode 32: Impact and Benefits for Your Kids
Homestay families can be any structure you can think of. Older couples with room in their home, singles, parents with or without kids; as long as you have a spare room and are welcoming to people into your home, you can host! However, if you have kids, hosting students can really be a way to...
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Episode 31: How to Start Hosting International Students Today
Hot town, summer in the city! This time of year is perfect for heading outside, exploring our natural playground, and taking in all the great summer events that are ideal to be a tourist in your own hometown with your international student. If you’ve been wanting to get your feet wet with becoming a homestay...
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Episode 30: We Are Canadian Through Multiculturalism, Diversity, and Being Very Apologetic
There is a very famous “I am Canadian” rant that went along with a beer commercial back in the late ’90’s. In the same vein, in this episode we talk about how we love all things Canadian. It’s Canada Day and we are proud Canadians who will share with you some of our favourite or...
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Behind The Mic

Mary Chan
Mary is the founder of Organized Sound Productions, a podcast editing company and voice-over artist based in Victoria, BC, Canada and has been hosting international homestay students since 2012. When she’s not busy running after her 3 year old daughter, she can be found knitting, sewing, baking, cooking, or canning… basically making everything from scratch; everything is handmade and homemade with love.

Erin Eastman Paulson
Erin is a Student Information Systems Operator at a local high school and has a background in communications based in Victoria, BC, Canada. She has been hosting international homestay students since 2017. Growing up, Erin had an international homestay sister throughout her high school experience. She’s a Mom of three awesome kids aged 11, 8 and 5. Her favourite time of day is dinner time when the family sits down together to talk about their day AND learn how to raise an eyebrow.
Episode 47: What Effects the Coronavirus COVID-19 Has On Homestay
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