Japan

Episode 42: Experiences of Being a New Homestay Host from Jennifer Longworth

November 12, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Communication, Food, Guests, Short-term hosting 00:37:28

In today’s episode, Erin had work to do, so Mary got to chat with Jennifer Longworth from Lexington, Kentucky. A new host parent who’s only hosted a total of 3 times for very short periods and all from Japan. We talk through what it’s like to be a very new host and what were some of the most surprising aspects of hosting. And it wouldn’t be right to talk to our fellow neighbours to the south without pointing out a couple of differences from our countries, like hockey for us and southern food for her.

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Episode 40: Fearless Communication Skills and Owning Your Moxie with Heather Thompson

October 28, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Communication, Food, Guests, Long-term hosting, Short-term hosting, Travel 00:50:10

One of the major challenges of hosting international students is to navigate the language barrier. Communication is key to any relationship, so how do you have the confidence to speak your mind when your student doesn’t speak your language? At times you need to be fearless and in today’s episode we chat with Heather Thompson who shares this grit with a side of humour.

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Episode 36: Part 2 – Sending Your Kids to Study Abroad and the Homestay Industry with Jennifer Wilson from the Canada Homestay Network

September 30, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Family, Food, Guests, Long-term hosting, Parenting, Short-term hosting, Travel 00:25:18

This is part two of our conversation with Jennifer Wilson, the Managing Director of the Canada Homestay Network. As relationship experts, they are not only working with you as a homestay host, but also juggling relationships with agencies, student’s parents, and of course, the students themselves. However, in this episode, we hear how Jennifer’s role reverses by sharing her experience of being a parent sending her daughter to study abroad. Plus, we discuss the future of the homestay industry, and dive more into common issues that hosts might navigate through during their homestay hosting journey.

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Episode 34: Back to School and Navigating Airports

September 16, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Birthdays, Family, Family bonding, Holiday, Long-term hosting, Self Care, Travel 00:44:58

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 29: Building Student Connections Through a Foundation of Boundaries with Dean Fox

June 24, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Communication, Family bonding, Guests, Long-term hosting, Parenting, Short-term hosting, Travel 00:43:12

Today, we chat with Dean Fox, a veteran homestay host with his wife and two kids. Dean shares with us his perspective of being a homestay Dad with a very practical and matter of fact frame of mind. He describes how miscommunication can happen even when no words are being used and how his family even vacationed to Disneyland with another student.

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Episode 20: Top 5 Reasons to Host an International Student

April 22, 2019 Homestay Kitchen Family bonding, Homestay Kitchen News, Long-term hosting, Short-term hosting, Travel 00:41:50

In this episode, we share our top 5 reasons for hosting an international student. There are so many points, but these 5 things are the core of what we do and love. They encompass our own personal values and how those desires play a significant role in our everyday lives.

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Episode 11: Sharing Holiday and Christmas Traditions with Students Who Study Abroad

December 24, 2018 Homestay Kitchen Family bonding, Food, Holiday 00:25:31

In this episode, we reveal our Christmas past, present and future with our international students. Mary shares her non-Christmas household, but reveals the little things she likes to do for the holidays. While Erin knows something will come together at the last minute for her family’s Christmas dinner. Listen for tips on what to do with students while keeping to a budget and a list of all our favourite holiday movies. Plus, how do the holidays differ in their student’s home countries? We find out about a Japanese tradition that is finger lickin’ good! Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, or even no holiday, we hope you get a break either way. It’s really all about the good food coming out of the kitchen and enjoying it with people that you love.

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Episode 10: Diversity, Discrimination, and Balancing Canadian and Japanese Studies with Yoko

December 17, 2018 Homestay Kitchen Family bonding, Food, Guests, Holiday, Long-term hosting 0:43:17
In this episode, we chat with Yoko, a Japanese student living with Erin. We examine some serious topics such as diversity and discrimination that she faces here in Canada and how it can be beneficial back home in Japan. We also touch on how she was able to participate in WE Day, a celebration of young leaders in Vancouver, and the balance of Japanese versus Canadian student culture. Plus, we learn how much Yoko is really a child of Erin’s and how she’s integrated so closely with Erin’s family and being a part of Canada.
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Episode 8: Building Your Network of People in the World with Veteran Host Parent Mel Kilpatrick

December 3, 2018 Homestay Kitchen Birthdays, Cooking with Students, Guests, Holiday, Homestay Kitchen News, Long-term hosting, Short-term hosting 00:40:40
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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