Filling a Space Between Cultures with Stars and Shepherd’s Pie
A reflection on being a host parent with MLI Homestay, which places international students with Grey-Bruce families so they can experience life as a Canadian.
OPINION
Last summer, I started seeing posts popping up in local social media groups: ‘Host Families Needed for International Students.’ I scrolled past, then paused. Could we do it again? Should we?
You may have seen them. The notices come out each year around the same time — late spring, into summer — as MLI Homestay seeks out host residences for students from Japan, Argentina, Sweden, and elsewhere. Each is looking for their own great Canadian learning experience.
Our family had hosted an exchange student from Australia for a semester about a decade ago. It was a great experience. But the kids were younger. We didn’t seem as busy with work back then. This student placement was for the entire school year. One son’s already off at university, it’s all so different now. But, but, but.
And yet I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I asked my husband and sons, What do you think? Everyone was surprisingly receptive.
We reached out to MLI Homestay and were put in touch with local coordinator, Adriene Mackenzie. More than just an advocate for the program, she’s also an experienced host who has provided stays for six students over the last eight years.
“I keep in contact with the students, and enjoy seeing how their time in Canada has helped shape them into amazing adults,” Adriene says.
It’s a great opportunity to learn about a different culture and see our wonderful area through fresh eyes, she told us. Indeed, this has been one of the biggest bonuses of our experience this school year: you get to see Grey-Bruce through fresh eyes.
Our student, Taku, is from Tokyo, Japan. From the beginning, his sense of wonder and awe was catching. Driving home with the family one night shortly after he arrived, Taku was wowed by the stars he could see from the car. We pulled onto a side road, drove about halfway down, and parked to go for a walk.
Taku was floored. He’s seen the moon, he told us, but never so many stars. There’s too much light pollution in Tokyo. Since then, he’s been out to an Owen Sound Sidewalk Astronomy demonstration, witnessed the Northern Lights, and stayed up late spotting meteors in the backyard, all right here in his temporary hometown.
We’ve gone hiking at Inglis Falls and Jones Falls, tobogganing at Harrison Park, and skating at the rec centre. Cheered on the Attack and lamented the Leafs. We’ve been to ball games and shows in Toronto, and toured behind the falls at Niagara Falls. Family friends even took Taku ice fishing on Lake Simcoe.
Don’t worry… it’s not all go-go-go. While trips and activities are fun, they’re not mandatory, and MLI Homestay offers group trips that the students can join if they’d like to explore more of Canada during their time here.
Host families don’t need to pack an agenda with activities for their guest. The real magic is how students are incorporated into everyday life.
Maybe Saturday mornings at the Farmers Market are part of your routine, or Solidarity Sundays at the Harmony Centre. Take your student along. Introduce them to optional local activities. Taku loves the gym and soccer, for example, so he got a YMCA membership and join a few local leagues.
He’s enjoyed meeting up with friends at Dairy Queen, Pokemon raids at Harrison Park, and learning how to cook poutine and Shepherd’s Pie at home. These are just part of everyday life for Canadian teens — and that’s precisely what makes it all such an exceptional experience for an international student.
Now, with just a short time left in the school year, we’re making the most of our time together. Before Taku returns to the hustle and big-city pace of Tokyo, we’ll get a few swims in at Sauble Beach, enjoy Harrison Park, and spend three nights on Flowerpot Island as volunteer lighthouse keepers.
And while we’re packing in the fun, I find myself quietly taking stock of how much this experience has enriched our lives, too. Yes, being a host family is a big change, and it’s definitely a commitment. But man, is it ever a lot of fun.
MLI Homestay is now looking for host families for exchange students from Japan and Spain, beginning in the fall (September 2025 to June 2026). Two of them will be attending St. Mary's High School in Owen Sound. Remuneration is provided to host families.
To learn more and fill out your host family application, visit MLIHomestay.com.