| "Global Servants in Christian Education" |
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Short Term Homestay
Homestay is a very important part of Pacific Academy's ESL program. Students who stay in a Canadian homestay usually develop a much better grasp of the English language and more appreciation of Western culture than those who don't. 
Pacific Academy has a large registry of homestay families who enjoy hosting international students.
We visit every home prior to making any placements. We try to place students in families with children close to the same age.
Homestay families generally have 1-3 international students staying in the home. Unless requested otherwise, visiting students have private bedrooms.  Most students are very happy with their homestay placements. Strong friendships are formed
and many keep contact with the family through e-mail when they go home. Occasionally a child
is unhappy in his homestay for one reason or another. If this happens, the chaperone, homestay parent and Homestay Coordinator will try to resolve the problem. In very difficult cases, we will move a student to a new homestay once. 
In most cases, our homestay families are Caucasian. We do, however, have some families who are English-speaking Asians. Usually the children in these homes are native speakers of English. |
Students will be driven to and from school each day unless the home is very close to the school and the child can safely walk.
Students are encouraged to eat Canadian food but homestay parents are flexible and try to please. Students are encouraged to bring along snack food from their home country as this seems to help them adjust. Older students should wash their own clothes using the machines in the home, after they have been taught how to use the machines. Younger students will receive help from the homestay parents. 
Whether we allow visiting students to go out on their own or with other children depends on their age, maturity, how far they wish to go, and the family rules. Some families will arrange for visiting students to get together with each other in the evenings. Homestay students are treated like members of the family, however, and will keep the same family routines and rules. Homestay families must know at all times, and especially in the evenings, where their guest students are. Even if students do not know much English, we find that they pick up basic vocabulary quickly. Body-language is also a great communicator. By the time they leave their homestays, visiting students will know more English and feel more comfortable using what they know. |