January 22, 2009

Fees

We have a one-time, lifetime registration fee or $100. It does not need to be paid until you arrive. There is no extra charge for airport pick-up.

Starting in 2009 we have moved to a two-tier payment system. At present our fees are as follows:



for Workers (ie. those on a valid Skilled Worker Visa)

• $700/4 weeks (not per month)

for Students (ie. those on a Student Visa or a Holiday Working Visa and all others)

• $680/4 weeks (not per month)

extra days are charged at $25/day.

These homestay fees are payable directly to the family, not to Homestay Calgary.

Posted by arie at 08:01 AM

April 10, 2006

Schools

Since most of our visitors are coming to Calgary to study English, we have put together some information about most of the ESL Schools in Calgary.

Continue reading "Schools"

Posted by admin at 11:11 PM

May 16, 2005

New Homepage

After a few months in the works, we've finally put together the new site design. Since we've moved to Movable-Type it should make updating content easier.  Some things are still in the process of being changed over (like the school list and student experiences), but we should have those up soon.

If you have any suggestions please let us know

Posted by admin at 09:33 PM

February 16, 2005

Ice Magic in Lake Louise

To those of us living in Calgary (for most if not all of our lives), winter means cold, snow, freezing temperatures, icy winds, melting snow, mud, dirt and a whole host of other ... shall we say 'less then pleasant' images that easily overshadow the serenity and fun we used to associate with this season. But to those visiting us from abroad, the 'ugly' side of winter is not so bleak.

This past weekend we went to see the ICE Magic sculptures in Lake Louise. The trip, however, ended up being more fun in the snow then looking at the sculptures.

Even though Ikumi wasn't exactly dressed to play in this much snow, that didn't stop her from getting snow all over her as she joined Ayako in 'snow diving'

luckily the nice people organizing the ice sculpture display, also provided the a place to get warm while taking in the sites

But nothing warms you up like a nice hot cup of cocoa (chocholate milk) in the Chateau

Posted by admin at 09:03 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2005

Questions and Answers

Here you will find answers to some common questions. If you have any further questions for us please feel free to either post them here (using the comments feature) or email us directly at homestaycalgary@shaw.ca.

• How much does it cost per month? Please see our Fees Section for all the information regarding fees


• What does the registration fee include The registration fee includes: Airport pickup, maps, bus schedules, tourist information, usually a downtown tour, help in opening a bank account, as well as obtaining a library card and social insurance number (if necessary).


• How can I apply Your first step should be to register with us. Once your registration is received we will contact you and begin the application process.


• How can I get a membership with Homestay Calgary Your membership status will be assigned when we start processing your application. As a member you will receive assistance with any problems while you stay in Calgary from either our homestay coordinator or our network of student volunteers. We will also try to provide you with lots of opportunities for fun and socialization while you are here.


• What do homestays provide Homestays will provide a private room with a bed, usually a desk, dresser and closet, as well as three meals a day (including a packed lunch). The homestay families also are required to provide conversation opportunities at least three hours a week (usually more).


• How long does is take to reach my ESL school from my homestay Usually homestays are relatively close to the schools. We attempt to ensure that the traveling time to the schools does not exceed 50 minutes (by means of public transportation)


• How can I become a homestay family If you would like to become a homestay family please contact us directly at homestaycalgary@shaw.ca. We will send you back a family profile which you can use to provide us with information about your homestay. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at the same address.

Posted by arie at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)

Homestay Calgary Policy

HOMESTAY CALGARY is an organization that consists of volunteers. We introduce homestays. Also, we just charge a nominal CA$100.00 non-refundable homestay registration fee (this includes airport pick up) . You can get information (for example resolving differences, medical or personal situations).

Posted by arie at 08:24 PM

Applying

If applying by mail, please contact this address

HOMESTAY CALGARY,
404 Trafford Dr. N.W
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA
T2K 2S9

Canadian Coordinator Phone Number:1-403-274-2641 (Carrie van Vliet)

You can also apply on line, just read and agree to the following and you will be taken to out on-line application form

1. Contents of application must be true. 2. If you want to change your Homestay or if you want to move to an apartment, you have to give notice to your homestay family at least 2 weeks before you move. 3. Homestay parents have an obligation to keep their students safe and talk with them. 4. Homestay families are requested to consider the students as one of the family. 5. If students are not satisfied in their homestay with clear reasons, they can request to change their Homestay. 6. Students have to follow their homestay rules, and remember that they are one of the homestay family's members.

Agree   Disagree

• Please send your private information and questions by email to homestaycalgary@shaw.ca.
• We require that you provide yourself with adequate medical insurance coverage for the duration of your stay.
• We will process your homestay application immediately upon receipt. We will try to send you a confirmation of accommodation at least 2 weeks before your arrival.

Posted by arie at 08:16 PM

Calgary Transit

BUS

Calgary has an extensive bus system. Bus fares are $2.50(2009) each or a book of 10 can be purchased for $23.00(2009) . A montly bus pass can be purchased for $83(adult, 2009). Single tickets are vaild for 90 minutes on the bus and/or train (including return trips). Passes are valid on all buses and trains. Tickets can be purchased at all convenience stores, grocery stores and drug stores. Adult passes can also be purchased in the same stores. Student passes can only be bought at theTransit office downtown upon presentation of your ESL school issued student card. You deposit your ticket in the box beside the driver. If you have no ticket you can put exactly $2.00 in the box beside the driver. If you put in more no change is given. If you need to transfer from one bus to another or from a bus to a train, ask for a transfer. Show this transfer to the next driver or have it ready to show if asked. You can use a pass, ticket or transfer on C-trains. (You cannot use cash on the train but you can buy a ticket from the machine at C-train station. It is a criminal offence to ride the C-train without a ticket expcept in the downtown free zone). Transit maps and schedules can be attained at the Calgary Transit Office on 7th avenue S.W.

TAXIS

There are many taxis at the airport. They are also easy to get at most hotels, and other downtown local restaurants have direct lines to taxi companies. Just pick up the phone in residential areas. You need to look in the yellow pages of the phone book under taxis.

Posted by arie at 06:13 PM

Guide Lines

1. General Information
We have carefully selected and screened our homestay families to provide comfortable, safe, learning environments for our students. We expect our families to be supportive of the student so they can learn about Canadian life and culture from a warm and caring family. We hope that the homestay family will benefit by learning about the student's country and culture.

This should be based on mutual respect and trust for each other's customs and traditions. The student should be given many opportunities to practice language skills and participate in Canadian activities and cultural events.

2. Guidelines for Homestay Families
You have agreed to host an International student for a period of several weeks to as long as one year. Please ensure that the student feels welcome and treat him as a member of your family. Encourage him to speak English at all times, especially if you have another student from the same country. Please try not to have more than 2 students speaking the same language at one time. Set aside at least a half hour a day, maybe at the dinner table, to converse with your student, and don't be afraid to correct his errors of grammar or pronunciation-he's here to learn! Encourage him to read aloud to you, maybe from the newspaper or a magazine, while you're preparing supper.

Help the student adjust to Canadian culture by having family discussions on general topics relating to your family and your lifestyle. Include the student in family outings as appropriate. If the outing involves a major cost outlay, such as a weekend ski trip, make sure the student knows the expenses involved, and what he will be expected to pay. A written, itemized list of costs (e g. meals, lift tickets, rentals, admission fees) would be very helpful. Explain the activity thoroughly, so the student understands what to expect, and how formal or informal the occasion, so he knows what to wear, and what will be expected of him. If you're going out for dinner and you expect him to pay his share, let him know the approximate cost beforehand. If he declines to go, make sure he can fend for himself at home or have him make alternate arrangements. If you attend church regularly, invite him along, just a casual invitation; don't make it seen like he's obliged to go.

You are expected to provide a clean, private, furnished room for the student, with clean linens and towels once a week. Allow the student access to home laundry facilities to do their own laundry and linen, if you prefer this, or provide laundry service for them at no additional cost. Show them how to use the washer and dryer - and make sure they understand the instructions!

Normally our homestay families provide 3 meals a day. Since it is common in Canada for students to prepare their own breakfast, show them what is available and how to prepare it. The same applies to packing lunch. If you prefer for your student to pack his own lunch, take him through the steps and let him know what he can and cannot use for his lunch. The student should be informed of normal family meal times and be advised that he should call home if he will be late or absent for a meal. He should be strongly encouraged to try Canadian food, keeping in mind that Canada is a country of immigrants and that "Canadian " food can vary widely. No special effort need be made to accomodate the student, (except in cases of food allergies, or religious beliefs), unless you want to. Trying foods from the student's country can be quite interesting, and you may even learn to like Kimchi! If you have a "help yourself" policy please make sure the student knows if some food is reserved for another meal or is off limits.

Most families like to pick up their student at the airport. Make a sign to hold up so he can find you. If it is not feasible for you or you are unable to pick up your student, please let us know in advance so we can make alternate arrangements to pick him up. Take your student on a tour of your neighbourhood, show him the post office, where to buy bus tickets, find out if he needs to open a bank account, and explain Canadian currency to him. If possible, take him to and from school the first day so he becomes familiar with the route. If, as we hope, the student is still with you at the end of his stay in Canada, providing transportation to the airport at the end is definitely recommended.

Most students will have arranged for international calling cards. A separate, private phone installation for the student is not necessary, unless you require this. In this case, please help the student make arrangements. Make very clear what financial arrangements for long distance charges the student should make if he has no calling card - calling collect, or leaving a deposit for phone calls if he is allowed to make them on your line. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL HOMESTAY CALGARY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TELEPHONE CHARGES INCURRED BY ANY STUDENT.

Explain, or better yet, provide a written list of house rules as soon as possible so your student is clear on what is expected of him with regard to family chores, bath and shower times, meal times, off-limits areas of the home, lights out, whether guests are allowed to stay for a meal or not, and other family issues. Deal openly and fairly with your student, but be sensitive to cultural differences and issues. Do not require (or even request - the student will probably find it impossible to refuse) the student to baby sit.
We require that each homestay maintain comprehensive insurance on their property while hosting a student, and provide us with proof of such insurance on request. We request that each student be provided with a house key and advised which doors are locked and when. If you decide not to keep your student or to withdraw from the homestay program, please give your student and HOMESTAY CALGARY 2 weeks notice (except in the case of serious wrong on the part of the student, where removal will be immediate). Last but not least, please keep in touch with us if you encounter problems or difficulties, or should a serious medical or other emergency arise.

3. Guidelines for the Student
Your homestay family has been carefully chosen to provide a safe and comfortable home for you during your stay in Canada. They are eager to help with your learning experience, to teach you about our country and culture, and to learn about your home, your lifestyle and your country. Spend time doing things with your family and you will have a much more enjoyable time and so will they. You are a guest member of the family, and while they will respect and trust you, as you should respect and trust them, you must follow some guidelines. These include:

• Keeping your room clean, and neat, and cleaning up after yourself in the kitchen, bathroom, family rooms
  
• Helping out with household chores if this is expected of you.
  
• Maintaining good personal hygiene - in Canada this usually means a daily bath or shower, but please be considerate of other family members and limit time so there is hot water for everyone.
  
• Behave as a polite member of the family. They will provide you with a list of house rules regarding meal and shower times, keeping to normal family routines, calling home if you are going to be late or absent for a meal. Ask permission before bringing guests home, and remember that you are responsible for their behavior and any damage they might cause while visiting your home. Normally guests leave before the family retires for the night but if pre arranged, they may be allowed to stay over night.
  
• If you or a guest should accidentally break or damage something. TELL YOUR HOMESTAY FAMILY IMMEDIATELY. Try to work out a solution to pay for any damages - if you and your family cannot come to an agreement, inform HOMESTAY CALGARY and we will try to resolve the situation.
  
• Speak English as much as you can with your family. Don't be discouraged if at first they have difficulty understanding you. Also, you will have difficulty understanding them at first, so don't be afraid to ask them to please speak to you slowly and clearly. Make sure you understand completely when instructions are given to you. Ask for them to be repeated if you're not sure.
  
• Watch English television programs, especially the news, and discuss the contents with your family. Read the newspaper and magazines of interest to you. Accept the correction and constructive comments of your family with good humour. Remember, they are there to help you learn.
  
• Try new foods when they are offered to you at mealtimes. In Canada it is considered courtesy to at least try new foods even if you later find you don't care for them. Remember that this is a land of immigrants and you will be offered a wide variety of foods at home and when you eat out at a restaurant. Ask for your homestay family's help with the menu when eating out. At first, you may suffer some mild stomach upset due to the change in diet, again this is normal. Inform your homestay family of this and eat lightly for a few days, If you have any other health problems that may affect your daily life or the life of others around you (e.g. diabetes, hepatitis, foot fungus) please let your family know.
  
• You must pay for all Long-distance telephone charges you incur (local calls are free). If you do not have a long-distance calling card, the family may allow you to use their telephone and pay them when the bill arrives. Or, they may ask you for a deposit for long-distance charges. Make sure to come to an agreement with them before you incur any charges. If you are a long-term student and want your own private telephone line installed, you must pay for installation and all other costs. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will either your homestay family or HOMESTAY CALGARY pay for any of your telephone bills
  
• If you plan on staying out very late, or staying overnight at a friend's, tell your homestay family so they don't worry about your safety. Providing a telephone number where you can be reached in case of an emergency is a good idea. If you plan on changing homestays or moving to an apartment, you must give your family 2 weeks notice before you leave. In case problems or difficulties arise, try to resolve them with your family first. In severe difficulties, contact HOMESTAY CALGARY and we will try to resolve the situation. Remember that patience, tolerance, and above all, understanding, can help eliminate many problems. If you cause extreme difficulties or fail to respect the homestay family's rules, you will be removed immediately and will forfeit the remainder of your homestay fees for that study block. In other words, IF we can find another homestay family to accept you, you will be required to start paying fees for a new 4 weeks block starting on the date you were moved. Severe infractions of the rules will result in HOMESTAY CALGARY withdrawing your homestay privileges with NO refund.
  
• Please make arrangements to pay your homestay family the quoted fee as soon as possible after you arrive, by traveler's cheques or in cash. Your family will assist you with banking if you need help. You should pay your homestay fees for each month thereafter on the first day of the new study block.
  

Remember: Be patient. Be open minded. Ask questions. Ask for instructions to be repeated. Don't get discouraged or upset when you are corrected. Try to relax and enjoy your new family.

4. Responsibilities of Homestay Calgary

• To ensure that students are as carefully matched as possible, to meet their needs, and their prospective homestay family's lifestyle requirements.
  
• To help the homestay family and the student resolve differences, once an initial attempt has been made by both parties
  
• To be available and act as a resource in cases of medical emergencies or personal situations related to the student.
  
• To ensure that the student has adequate medical insurance for the duration of the stay, and that the homestay family has comprehensive home insurance while hosting a student.
  

HOMESTAY CALGARY reserves the right to discontinue Homestay priveleges immediately and without notice if a breach of this agreement takes place, either by the student or by the Homestay host.

Posted by arie at 10:28 AM

Who We Are

HOMESTAY CALGARY is an organization that promotes the CALGARY area as a homestay destination. It is comprised of CANADIAN volunteers and students of various nationalities. We introduce students to homestays. Also, we help students who come to CANADA through us to adjust to their new environment and new customs. We offer information on ESL courses and information on CANADA.

Posted by arie at 10:10 AM

Telephone, Fax and Mail

Pay phones are available in many locations, Street corners, shops, restaurants, service stations. Local calls are 35 cents. You can usually use coins credit card or calling cards. International calling cards can be purchased at the airport, convenience stores, news stands and many other locations downtown.

Faxing services are available at Post Offices for a fee, and usually at your ESL school for no charge. There are many red mailing boxes in various locations on the street, at shopping malls, beside stores, etc, Just drop your postcards or letters in if they have postage stapms on. If you do not have stamps on, or do not know the amount if postage needed. Please contact a post office. Postage within Canada for normal size/weight letters is 48 cents(2002) at this time.

Posted by arie at 10:00 AM

Health Card and Library Card

All long-term resident of Canada must pay into the Alberta Health Care system. There with working holiday visa or a also use Alberta Health Care,. The fee is $44 per month and covers most ordinary medical situation . Students must have medical insurance coverage before they arrive. There is a plan available that through one of the ESL schools which is $2 per day. If you have no medical insurance you would have to pay very high prices for medical treatment and we recommend that you have some sort of medical insurance.

The libraries are available for use free of charge for reading and studying as long as you do not take anything out. You can only take out books, CDs etc, if you have a library card. You also need a library card for internet access to use the productivity computers.There are 2 types of library card - one for residents or long term visitors(over 6months) the fee is $10 per year, and one for visitors which is $20 for 3 months.

Posted by arie at 09:45 AM

How to Apply

Before completing an application please click on POLICY or click REGISTER icon to apply. Please read that material before you apply. Also if you have any question about us, please don't hesitate to send email or make a call to us.

Posted by arie at 09:30 AM

Welcome to Calgary

We made a step for our web site with a new domain WWW.HOMESTAYCALGARY.COM. This is a great step for us and students who want to study in Calgary, because our homestay families are willing to meet international students like you. We believe that students will have fun and have a good impression of us in Calgary. That's what we stand for.Thanks for your attention and consideration. Always, we try to provide reliable information about ESL schools and Calgary.

Posted by arie at 09:10 AM

About Us

Hello
It is always exciting to receive a new application.
I am Arie van Vliet and I am the volunteer Vice-president-Communication (I send the e-mails) and chauffer for Homestay Calgary.

My goal is to make the expression "ay caramba" popular in Korea and Japan. It is a Spanish expression used mostly in Mexico meaning "oh, dear", "oh, my goodness", or "oops".

 

 

 

I am a Canadian originally from the Netherlands. I enjoy sending and receiving e-mail. My wife Carrie (volunteer homestay co-ordinator) and I enjoy meeting new arrivals at the airport and introducing them to their host families.

We try to provide families that are friendly and kind. That make you feel welcome and comfortable by treating you like a family member.

Our homestays are carefully chosen by visiting and interviewing them on behalf of the students.

Calgary is the home of the world famous cowboy festival called The Calgary Stampede. The entire city dresses up like cowboys and there are free stampede breakfasts in various locations everyday. It is held in July for a 10 day period.

We hope you enjoy the Calgary atmosphere with our homestay families.

Posted by arie at 09:00 AM

Weather

Calgary weather is very changeable. In winter there could be a change in temperature of up to 40 in just a few hours. This is caused by warm west winds called Chinooks. Spring and Fall are kind of a mix of summer/winter weather. Summer is usually warm to hot 20~30 degrees. In all seasons the nighttime temperatures are quite a bit lower than daytime temperatures. Calgary is a windy city and has a very dry climate, little snow or rain. We have long, sunny summer days.

Posted by arie at 08:49 AM