The word "homestay" combines two English words: "home" and "stay".  Very literally, students stay in a Canadian family's home.  Our students are thought of as part of the family and are immersed in the culture and everyday life of their host family.  Homestay is a terrific learning experience for students and families.  Host families want to learn more about their student's culture as much as they want to help teach their student about life in Canada.

The Homestay experience provides wonderful opportunities to make new friends, learn more about cultures in Canada, and practice new English skills! Students often tell us that they come to feel as though they have two families: their own families and their homestay family.  Our homestay families feel the same way about the students staying with them and will often keep in touch even after the student has moved out.  Homestay can be a very rewarding experience for both students and families.

Homestay families have been selected because of their interest cross-cultural communication and their high level of commitment to their students.

There are three questions we ask students before placing them with a host family:

Do you prefer a family with children?
Do you prefer a family with pets (dog/cat)?
Do you smoke?

Our Homestay Coordinator then matches students with host families based on the answers to these questions.

Canadians come from different cultures all over the world! It is possible that your host family might originally come from Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, etc.  The family structure in Canada can vary from family to family.  Your host family might be a single individual, a single parent family, a retired couple, or a couple with/without children.  In families with couples, one or both individuals may work.  Jobs may take place inside or outside of the home.  Canadian families live in different types of homes: apartments, condominiums, houses, and/or townhouses.

Special requests are honoured when possible.  We pride ourselves on finding the best match for both our students and our host families.

Our homestay families are located in Vancouver and all over the Greater Vancouver Area including Burnaby, New Westminster, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver.

Our homestay program is often linked with the airport pick-up service.  Students who require transportation to their host family's home must check the "yes" box for airport pick-up service, and indicate the date and time of their arrival and the airline and flight number in the boxes provided on the school application form.

Both the host family and the student have responsibilities.  The keys to having a good relationship with each other are mutual respect and constant communication.  There will likely be many differences, personal and cultural, between you and your host family.  We ask you both to acknowledge these differences, and when necessary work towards a compromise.  You will be expected to respect the rules of the household just like any other family member.  If you have questions about your new home, please feel free to ask your host family.

Manners
Manners can differ greatly from culture to culture.  If you are unsure about any situation please ask your host family for advice.  They will be happy to assist you.

Meals and Food
Canadian food may be quite different than the food you are used to eating.  Please come ready and open to new taste experiences.  You may, of course, tell your host family the kinds of foods you like and dislike.  Host families will often encourage their students to cook the foods they love, so you might consider making something for yourself occasionally and/or helping your host prepare dinner.  Always ask for permission before cooking in the kitchen.  Please remember to tell your host family if you are not going to be home for dinner, or if you are going to be late.

Using the Telephone
The most important point to remember here is consideration! The telephone is for everyone in the family to use and so calls should be direct and fairly short.  It is also important to arrange a method of payment for long distance calls, for example, calling collect, using a calling card, or some other mutual agreement.  If you are ever unsure about how to place a call, ask your host family.  Please remember to advise your friends and family back home to be aware of time differences and not to call in the middle of the night!

Using Appliances
It is a good idea to arrange times to do laundry.  Your host family may have certain times each week when they do their laundry, and/or they may prefer that you do your laundry during certain times of the day and not late at night.  If you are not sure about how to operate certain household appliances: the washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, stove, oven, coffee maker, food processor, blender, toaster, toaster oven, etc., always ask for help before you use the appliance.  Your host family wants to help you!

 Medications and Allergies
It is a good idea to have the names of any medications you take translated into English.  This will make things easier for you, your host family, and Canadian doctors.  It is your responsibility to inform your host family about any allergies and/or medical conditions you may have and the most appropriate method of treatment.  Should a situation arise in which you are unable to treat yourself, your host family will then know what to do and how to help you.  It is always useful to ask your host family for a list of emergency phone numbers such as: ambulance, fire department, police, and any other phone numbers you think would be useful.  Saving time in an emergency situation is important so be prepared!

Smoking
Most host families do not allow smoking inside the home.  You should consult your host family about smoking rules.  Be sure to ask about the best way to dispose of your cigarette butts.  Safety for everyone in the home is a priority!

Guests
Whenever you want to invite guests over always ask for permission from your host family.  Remember to ask permission BEFORE inviting your friends.

The application process for homestay at PPC is very simple.  Applying for homestay is done when applying for studies at the college.  Students who want homestay must check the "yes" box on the school application form and answer the three questions listed in this section.