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Hosts are still needed for some international students coming to Thunder Bay to attend high school this fall.
MLI Homestay and Lakehead Public Schools say they need homes for six boys arriving in September from Germany, Brazil and China.
Without hosts, they will not be able to make the journey.
The students will be studying at Westgate Collegiate, Hammarskjold High School, and Superior Collegiate.
They will be in the city from September to January 2025, or June 2025.
Hosting students can greatly enhance their experience.
“I was going through their profiles for the ones that are still needing hosts and each of them literally says they’re so nervous and excited about coming to Canada,” said Community Engagement Specialist with MLI Homestay, Jodi Andersen. “They can’t wait to meet and be a part of a new family, a family and this hosting experience is just as much a part of coming to Canada is going to a new school.”
“Most of them are very family-oriented, they like sports, they like school, they are excellent students when they’re coming and this is something they’ve been working towards for like 5 years this has been a goal for them.”
Hosts are compensated they are offering up to a $500 bonus for hosting a successful student placement (depending on the student’s length of stay).
If you have an empty private room in your house that has access to a washroom then you’re eligible to lend a helping hand.
Families who choose to host benefit from 24/7 support, financial compensation to help with expenses and support from MLI Homestay’s local coordinators in Thunder Bay.
They also need temporary hosts in case a host family needs a week or two off.
“We also need respite hosts, so maybe you can’t commit to five months, but maybe you can commit to two weeks because sometimes people have to go off away cause a family member gets sick, or if you go on a holiday,” said Andersen. ” So a student might go somewhere really short term so if you’re even thinking (getting involved), just call cause you never know (how you can help).
If you’re interested in lending a helping hand reach out to Rippy Chhabra at 647-205-3281 or rchhabra@mlihomestay.com, or visit mlihomestay.com.
