Why we love having Home Stay students in our family

In the past ten years, Lynne and Murray have opened their house and their hearts to more than 220 girls. While they are about to embark on their first holiday in that ten years, they have no regrets about the commitment Home Stay has required. Lynne has made the management of the Home Stay accommodation her full time job and no longer works in the corporate world.

‘I lived in a hostel as a schoolgirl when I came to the city from the country and was quite lonely with no-one of my own age living there. Since then I have often thought about offering accommodation for a student from the country or overseas, but felt that I did not have the time to do the job well. ‘My aim now is to provide a happy, loving and resourceful home where students can gain full benefit from school each day, a place where they are able to enjoy themselves outside school hours in a relaxed environment, with adequate privacy for homework and study. I want to involve them in the many and varied interests of our family and for them to enjoy our beautiful city and the many attractions it offers. ‘I try to be at home when they arrive after school, to listen to the news of their day and be sympathetic or share with them their day-to-day achievements at school, and to assist with homework if necessary. ‘You are the best Home Stay mother I’ve ever met before. The kindness in your heart makes you a shining star which shows me the way back home in the dark. Here is my home in Australia, the nicest place in the world. ‘Thank you very much for trying so hard to be a good mother. We all love you. ‘Lots of love from Stella.’

‘We all eat dinner together and it is a time we all really look forward to. It helps the students with conversational skills and having a laugh together helps relieve the tensions of the day. I really like to cook what the students enjoy eating, and regularly try new dishes to cater for their varied tastes. Occasionally on weekends some of them like to help in the kitchen, and my husband says the meals have improved out of sight since we became a Home Stay household. ‘We want our students to know that they are truly welcome in our home. If they are not happy we want them to try to tell us how they feel, because being open with your Home Stay family is the only way to fix a problem.’

Troy and Kylie have been Home Stay hosts for the past two years and it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.

‘We have been doing this for two years now and have had no conflicts, no problems at all. We have seven students, aged from late teens to mid-twenties, mostly from Asia, some at secondary schools and some at university. They all get along well and even those whose primary friendships are outside the household seem to enjoy the company of those at home as well. When they are not at school or university they are all buzzing around the house and networking their computers to play games. ‘New visitors seem to fit in easily with the others and learn what is expected from them just by being part of the household. We haven’t had to make a lot of rules, it just seems to happen naturally. ‘We feel about our students as though they are our family, and we want them to feel the same way. We have had some who have enrolled at tertiary institutions or schools far away from here, but they usually decide they’d rather travel the extra distance and be able to stay with us. Some of our students still call us for our birthdays and at Christmas or come to visit now and then. ‘There are so many positive things we could say about the Home Stay experience. We have learned so much from our students about their cultures and their backgrounds and we want to give something ‘Time flies! It’s time for me to leave you guys but I don’t want to go. It is such a lovely family and I have never been homesick while I have been in this home. I love all of you because you all make me so welcome and happy every day. I am proud to be one of your family members. ‘Love lots, Christine.’

‘Thank you so much for always being there to help me out with my problems. Thank you for always being flexible and tolerant and always finding a way to squeeze me into your FULL FULL FULL diary. Thank you for your time and gossips, they always cheer me up even at the worst of times. I will never forget you and I will always remember your enthusiasm, support and care that enabled me to get through IB. ‘Love always, Niedya.’

back to them. One way we can do it is by making this a happy experience for them, and by letting them know that we enjoy having them here as much as they enjoy being here.’