Homestay family host: Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell's homestay experience has been a fulfilling adventure, from hosting students in her home to sharing life’s most memorable moments.
By Kim Campbell
Homestay host since 2022 with the UCalgary ESL Team
This has been quite the journey.
When my children were younger and we lived in Burnaby, B.C., we did homestay. My homestay students were in elementary and junior high school. This was before cellphones and the internet. We would have to prearrange phone calls home to their parents. Getting students to school, picking them up, and managing two of own children. It was a lot, but I wanted my children to meet and live with people from other cultures. I also wanted to help students navigate their new home. I feel every Canadian family should try homestay at least once to give their children this experience.
I moved to Calgary in February 2021 at the request of my adult children and all the grandchildren. I love it here.
My daughter was doing homestay at the time and encouraged me to do the same. After all the paperwork and background checks, I was ready! I was used to hosting students under the age of 16, but now I was hosting university students. I had no idea what to expect! I got my room ready and looked forward to my first arrival.
Kim sharing a meal with students in her backyard.
Well, my first student was a 42-year-old man from Colombia. After the first week, I knew I had made the right choice. Having always had a house full of kids and teenagers, always cooking for a crowd, I knew I was living my best life. My son and daughter-in-law are so happy I have "family" from all over the world, keeping me company and letting me continue to cook and be a grandma.
I absolutely love hosting and including them in my life and my family’s outings. We have Sunday dinners with the whole family, where the students get a chance to connect and see how our family interacts. They ask questions and get asked even more!
Having students during the holidays is the best! From first Halloween costumes and birthday celebrations, both theirs and ours, to seeing how "extra" my home gets at Christmas, it’s wonderful.
Having a house full is such a gift. I'm so grateful for the time spent with them, and they all keep in touch — by text, email, and even through mail and packages.
Kim Campbell with students wearing the toques she had made them.
I have my very own “ambassador.” My 5-year-old granddaughter, Alivia (Livvy), has made each of my students feel welcome and takes the time to learn how to pronounce their names. Sometimes she even draws pictures to welcome them. She’s always encourages them when they’re talking.
One of my favourite things to do is cook. I quickly realized that almost all of my students aren't really fans of sandwiches, so I started making sure each meal was enough for multiple dinners and lunches. I’ve been asked a few times if they could take extra lunch for their friends — of course! I truly believe that having these wonderful young men and women in my life has improved my health, my appreciation for the little things, and has kept me so positive on this journey. I'm very grateful.
I’ve been able to send them home with core memories of life in our beautiful city and an understanding of how our family gets together and celebrates our differences and similarities. I have their pictures scrolling on my home screen — photos of them wearing the toques I've made, and photos they send me after returning home.
This program has given me so much. Now I get to be a "Canadian grandma" to so many amazing, funny, loving students from all over the world.