Short-term hosting

Episode 18: Rest for Productivity

And we’re back! Thanks for listening to the show and being so patient waiting for new episodes. In this episode, we go through what happened and why we (mostly Mary) needed this unexpected break. In these moments, Mary realized how important rest is and wanted to share how this impacted the arrival of her sister’s student. Mary gives tips on watching out for signs of burnout and what you can do for yourself to get some self care and rest.

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Episode 17: Your Student Arrival Guide with a Homework Assignment

In this episode, we take you through the process of getting ready for the arrival of your student. Is the student bedroom made up? Got that extra house key ready? Those are just two main things you should have set up, but yes, of course, there’s always more. We’ve got lots of tips for welcoming your student into your home, culture, and a whole new country. Plus, Erin’s got some homework for you and your new student. Don’t worry, there won’t be a pop quiz.

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Episode 15: Emotional Bonds and Departure Rituals for When Students are Leaving

In this episode, Erin gets ready to say goodbye to one of her long-term students. To Mary’s surprise, Erin didn’t cry during the episode, but trust that this is an emotional experience for Erin who bonded so deeply with her homestay daughter. Before we get to that experience and what Erin has planned for her goodbye, we take a look at Mary’s more practical and level headed approach. She’s not a hugger, but she may be turning to the dark side.

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Episode 14: Applying to Be a Homestay Host

In this episode, we steer you through the journey of applying to become a homestay host to an international student. It’s quite the process as you do need to be vetted to host students, especially underage students, but don’t let that scare you. Every school will have a different protocol, but there is an application process you should go through. Once that is done, the rest of your homestay adventure will be less stressful. So grab a pen and get ready to jot some notes down on becoming a homestay host!

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Episode 13: Resolutions, Goal Setting, and Fears for Hosting your First International Student

In this episode, we are refreshed from our break and ready to tackle the fear of having a student in your home for the very first time. If one of your goals for the year is to become a homestay host, we help you dive into the unknown. What is it really like to have a stranger in your house? How do you get around that fear?

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Episode 8: Building Your Network of People in the World with Veteran Host Parent Mel Kilpatrick

In this episode, we chat with our dear friend Mel Kilpatrick. Mel was one of Mary’s first inspirations to become a homestay parent. We scratch the surface on some of the amazing stories with her past students and explore how these experiences enhance our network of people in the world… not just for us as hosts, but for the students as well. These experiences are what makes your household grow and learn from each other to extend our connection to the world.
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Episode 7: Advocating For and Supporting International Students

In this episode, Mary challenged Erin to talk about her being a Mama Bear; tender claws out and ready to advocate for her students. Listen for the way Erin handles challenging situations including when she rescues Christmas for her student’s friend and dealing with high school teachers, which can be challenging all on their own. Then we take a little side track as Mary gets a delivery at the door… all before Mary shares her stories about how she saved a student’s romantic relationship, which causes Erin to feel like throwing up because of the suspense.

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Episode 6: Selecting International Students for your Homestay Family

In this episode, we share our experiences of how we select international students to become a part of our homestay family.  We chat about how one student in Mary’s short-term homestay experience got her to change her number one request on a student profile.  We walk through what you should consider when matching a student profile to your family, and ultimately, how we decide to host a student in our home.  Then we explore Erin’s detailed student profile applications, while she goes on one of her tangents to provide some very insightful tips for what to do with your kids when travelling with your students.

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Episode 4: Weaving Birthday Traditions with Cross Cultural Experiences

In this episode, we dive into birthdays! Jon and Blake’s birthdays are one day apart, so we talk birthday plans and what Erin’s students have up their sleeves for Blake… while Mary reveals her one big mistake in communication about birthdays with her first ever student.

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Episode 1: The One About Mary

In this episode, Erin interviews Mary. We talk about how Mary got started hosting international homestay students. Mary shares some of her experiences with hosting, her love of cooking, crafting, and how she includes her students in her home life.

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