an orientation guide for international students studying ...€¦ · sharing their home with you...

An Orientation Guide for International Students

Studying in Canada

Prepared and Distributed by

First Choice International Placement Inc.

© Copyright 2015

An Orientation Guide 1 First Choice International Placement Inc.

© Copyright 2015

First Choice International Placement Inc.

Unless authorized through the existence of an agent agreement with First Choice

International Placement Inc., no permission is granted to you, or anyone acting

on your behalf, to print, copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, upload, download,

store, display in public, alter, or modify this document in its entirety or in part.


Congratulations!

What a wonderful decision you have made to study abroad!

Canada is an amazing country with its natural beauty, healthy lifestyle, and cosmopolitan cities. Each year over 35,000 international students from all over the world come to study and to experience Canadian culture.

Often the relationships that students build during this time will continue long after a student returns to their home country. You will form new friendships with many Canadians, but you will also forge life-long friendships with other students from around the globed. This is your journey to enjoy!

We ask that you and your parents read this handbook carefully before you depart your home country so that you have a clear understanding of what to expect from your Canadian homestay and educational experience.

When you received this handbook you should have also received an agreement related to the expectations outlined in this handbook. Both you and your natural parents must sign and return the agreement prior to your arrival. The agreement acknowledges that you have read, understood and agree to respect the principles and expectations outlined in this handbook. If you do not have this agreement please contact our office immediately,

A word about your Custodial Guardian in Canada

The Government of Canada requires that all unaccompanied minor-aged students studying in Canada have a named Custodial Guardian for the duration of the time that they will remain in Canada. The age of majority for students studying in British Columbia is 19 years of age.

What is the role of the Custodial Guardian?

The Custodial Guardian acts in the interests of a student’s natural parents to ensure that ongoing care and support is provided during the student’s stay. To this end, the student’s Custodial Guardian is available to address emerging challenges and/or unexpected emergencies related to the student’s overall well-being.

Who is my Custodial Guardian?

Your Custodial Guardian must be named prior to you coming to Canada. For students who do not have a local relative or family friend to serve in this capacity, First Choice International Placement Inc. offers a monitored Custodial Guardianship service for unaccompanied minor-aged students.

If you have requested that we provide this service, the name of your Custodial Guardian is Mr. Collin Mercer, the owner of First Choice. He will remain your Custodial Guardian for the duration of your stay in Canada.

Why will I also be assigned a Student Monitor?

Because of the large number of students in our program, a Student Monitor will also be assigned to you, based on the school in which you are enrolled. These Student Monitors act on behalf of the Custodial Guardian and are responsible for formally and informally interacting with each student on a regular basis.

Our Student Monitors are also responsible for keeping your Custodial Guardian and your natural parents informed regarding your overall progress in Canada.


Student Monitors are expected to meet regularly with each student and connect frequently with the student’s assigned host family, teachers, and the International Student Counselor at your school.

The purpose of these interactions is to ensure that the student is progressing well in both their studies and in their adaptation to Canada and to report this progress to the Custodial Guardian and, ultimately, to the student’s natural parents.

Two formal reports are prepared by the Student Monitor each term and forwarded to the Student’s Agent or Natural Parent. These reports outline the Student Monitor’s observations regarding the

student's progress and present any remedial strategies that have been implemented or are being considered to help a student meet the school’s educational requirements.

Additionally, the Student Monitor forwards monthly attendance reports that are prepared by school staff where you will be attending.

Will I also meet with my Custodial Guardian?

Yes, because your Custodial Guardian is ultimately the person responsible for your well-being in Canada you will occasionally be asked to meet with him. These meetings are of great benefit to both you and your Custodial Guardian as it provides both with an opportunity to get to know one another and address any concerns.

On occasion you may also be asked to meet with your Custodial Guardian, together with school staff, if there are school-related behavioural or attendance concerns. While your natural parents may normally be involved in these types of meetings in your home country, it is your Custodial Guardian who would attend these meetings while you are residing in Canada.

Living in homestay

Homestay in Canada provides an excellent opportunity to improve your English skills while you study. It also provides you with first-hand experience to learn about Canadian culture and customs. Living with a Canadian host family means that you will become an active member of that family for the duration of your stay.

You will soon find that living in homestay is not like staying at an impersonal hotel, where you rarely get to communicate with local people or share their way of life. Instead you will be fully immersed into the daily life and activities of a caring, Canadian family.

How does First Choice choose your family?

All of our host families are interviewed and their homes are inspected before they join our homestay program. During the interview, we are careful to look for families that are genuinely interested in sharing their home with you and will be able to

make you feel welcome and comfortable. During the home inspection, we are checking to make sure that the home is clean, in a safe neighbourhood, close to school and/or good public transit, and that the home facilities, including your bedroom, are suitable for hosting an international student.

We also require that all the adult host family members residing in the home complete a Criminal Background and Vulnerable Sector Check. We want to feel confident that we are recommending a safe family for you.

Our staff will make every effort to match each student with the “right” family. To help us do this, we asked you to provide us with as much information as possible about yourself and what you are expecting from a host family. Are you quiet and shy or friendly and outgoing? Are you looking for a big family with many children who will give you lots of attention or are you looking for a more private experience? What are your hobbies? Answering


these questions can greatly assist us in finding the best possible family for you.

Once a family has been identified we will forward a profile that contains important information about the family, their home, and the community in which they are located. The profile also includes contact information for the host family so that you may begin communicating with them immediately.

Should you have any trouble connecting with your assigned host family please do not hesitate to contact a representative of First Choice.

What can you expect from your homestay?

Canadians are very proud of our progressive, tolerant, and culturally diverse society and our host families reflect the many different cultural perspectives that make up Canada.

Our host families also come in many different shapes and sizes – they might be a couple with or without children; a single-parent family; or a retired couple who love having young people in their home.

Your host family may actually be very different from what you expect a “Canadian family” to be. But rest assured, we are very careful to choose kind, caring families that are sensitive to the cultural differences you will face on arrival.

Because the English immersion experience is perhaps the most important aspect of living in homestay, all our families must speak clear, proper English at all times in the home.

Most importantly, all of our host families are selected because they are committed to providing a very caring, meaningful, interactive, and safe environment for international students.

What do we expect from you?

Adjusting to life in a strange home and strange country can be stressful. We ask that our students show a willingness to learn from and participate with the host family.

Communication, consideration and tolerance are the three most important factors in a successful experience. After all, cultural differences are never right or wrong, just “different”.

In homestay, you are to be treated like one of the family. That means you be expected to help out around the house. Keeping your room tidy, assisting with general cleaning chores, and washing up after you use the dishes are examples of what is commonly expected of students.

You are also expected to do your own laundry, using the home’s laundry facilities (which the host family will gladly show you how to use). You are not expected to do any additional, unreasonable chores in order to earn your stay!

Will it be a difficult adjustment?

When students come to Canada to study, this is often the first time that they are away from their natural family and friends for such an extended period. Adjustment to a new culture and environment is not accomplished in a few days. Feelings of homesickness can be felt for weeks or even months, but the feelings will generally begin to subside.

People who enter a new culture inevitably suffer from disorientation. The physical and social environments are often so new it is hard to comprehend and understand.

It takes time to learn how to get around, buy necessities, do laundry, and become comfortable in the new society. It can be exhausting and difficult to speak a new language, understand the meanings that lie behind spoken and non-verbal communication, and learn new behaviour.

This disorientation can sometimes be more significant and the student may experience “culture shock”. Symptoms may include headache, upset stomach, irritability, homesickness, and so on. Eventually it will disappear. If you experience these symptoms talk to your host family, school counselor, or a representative of First Choice.


What will the food be like?

The food you eat in Canada will most likely be quite different from what you eat in your home country. Our homestay program for high school students includes three full meals and snacks every day. The host family is responsible for making dinner; you are responsible for making and/or assisting in the preparation of your own breakfast and lunch using food provided by the host family.

Meals can be very different from one host family to another but you can probably expect the following:

Breakfast can include cereal with milk, toast, yogurt, and juice. Coffee and tea are usually available. On the weekends, breakfast may be bigger and may include such items as eggs, pancakes, bacon, etc.

Lunch usually includes a sandwich (we eat lots of sandwiches for lunch!), a drink, some fruit and snacks like cookies. Many students pack their own lunch for school with food provided by their assigned host family.

Dinner may include meats such as beef, chicken or fish, as well as pastas, casseroles and stir fry dishes. Salads, vegetables and rice or potatoes are also usually served with dinner. Canadians tend to eat a lot of food that is quick and easy to prepare as both host parents may be very busy outside of the home.

Please advise us of any food allergies or special requests regarding your diet.

What will your room be like?

Each homestay is different, but you can expect to have a room in which you feel safe and

comfortable for sleep and study. You should also expect that you will have some privacy when required. Your room will be clean, private and have a bed, closet, dresser, and small study area.

What is the rest of the house going to be like?

As a member of your host family, you are welcome to share the common areas of your homestay residence. Students typically do not have their own private bathroom but share a bathroom with other students or other members of your host family. Many homes in Canada have more than one bathroom.

Your home will have a kitchen, of course, as well as other bedrooms, and living rooms or family rooms where you and the family can hang out and watch TV together. Additionally your home should be equipped with laundry facilities.

Homestay residences are typically single family detached houses but some of our host families live in apartments or townhouses.

Will there be other students in the home?

Many of our host families tend to have at least one additional student in the home. Sometimes, there may even be up to three students in the home. In any case, the students must all be of different cultural backgrounds to ensure that only English is spoken in the home.

Does each family have their own rules for the house?

Whenever there are a number of people living together, especially if they do not know each other very well, it can be helpful for there to be guidelines to assist with communication. When you arrive at your homestay, your new family may present some guidelines or rules for their home to you.

Some examples of common rules are:

• Call before 4pm if you will not be coming home for dinner

• Limit the use of the shower in the morning to between 10-15 minutes.

• Do not use the telephone for long periods of time if others are waiting.

• No internet usage after 11p.m.


Please remember that these rules are not intended to restrict you but to ensure that everyone can live comfortably in the same home. Calling home if you are not coming for dinner lets the family know not to wait for you, limiting your time in the shower means hot water will be available for everyone, and checking to see if others want to use the phone is a simple courtesy.

Again, communication is the key to a successful homestay experience.

Will there be pets?

Most Canadian families have pets, usually a dog or cat. If you are allergic to animals, however, this has usually been noted on your application and we will then only place you in a home with no pets.

If you have never lived with pets before you should not worry. Most students who are not used to living with animals usually adjust after just a few days of initial nervousness. Getting to know a family pet can be another rewarding experience in your homestay adventure.

How far is my homestay from school?

Your assigned homestay will generally be located within reasonable walking distance of your school. Occasionally, however, students must take public transit to and from school. If this is the case, students will never be located more than one transit zone from the school they are attending.

Who will show me how to get to school?

The host family is responsible for showing you how to get to school and how to get home. This will be done either the weekend of your arrival or on your first day at the school. After your first day of school you will be responsible for making your own way to and from school.

What do I need to know about living in homestay?

Here are some examples of things you will need to know:

Meals

Canadians usually eat a small breakfast (ex. toast, cereal, fruits), and lunch is typically a sandwich or leftovers from the previous night’s

dinner. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day, usually consisting of meat or fish, a starch (noodles, rice or potato), vegetables or salad, and dessert.

Canadian parents often ask their children to help with meal preparation. You may be asked to prepare your own breakfast and bag lunch, or help set the table for dinner. You may also be asked to help clean up the dishes after meals.

Discuss food preferences with your host family, as well as food eaten outside of regular meal times (snacks, drinks etc.).

You are expected to be home for dinner at the time your host family indicates. This meal time is a great opportunity for you to practise your English by discussing your day or other topics. Please make sure you phone your family by 4 p.m. if you will be late for dinner so they know where you are.

A student should never invite friends or relatives to the homestay for dinner without first discussing this with the host family.

Cleaning up

In most Canadian homes, all family members help with household chores. You will, at minimum, be expected to keep your bedroom clean and neat and to pick up your clothes and make your beds. You will also be expected to tidy the bathroom after you use the bath or shower. This includes rinsing hair and soap from the tub or shower when done.

Personal items not provided in homestay

Students are expected to purchase the following personal items with their own money:

• transit tickets or monthly transit passes

• long distance telephone charges (we suggest you buy a calling card for this)

• entertainment costs (movie or concert tickets, ski/snowboard tickets, etc.)

• personal hygiene products (toothpaste, shampoo, razors, deodorant, etc.)

• unique food items that the rest of the family would not normally eat (ex. candy)

If you are not sure whether an item is to be provided by you or by the host family please feel free to contact a First Choice representative.


Medical conditions

It’s important to discuss medical conditions or allergies with your host family, and for them to be aware of any medications you are taking. If you are sick, tell your host family. On a school day they will phone the school to say that you will be absent.

Home security

Please ensure you lock external doors and windows as instructed by your host family. You will have your own house key. Keep it secure and don’t lose it! If you lose it you will likely be asked to replace it at your expense.

What if I want to change my host family?

Finding the perfect match of student and family can be a big challenge as we are all different and we all have different needs and expectations. It is

also very important for you, the student, to feel comfortable and happy in your homestay in order to have the most positive experience possible. If you are unhappy in your homestay then you will be too stressed to learn anything at school!

Therefore, if you ever feel uncomfortable or unhappy with your homestay situation, please come speak with a First Choice representative. We are here to answer any questions you may have and any problem will be dealt with promptly, professionally and confidentially.

During your first month at the school we are happy to change your homestay at your request with no waiting period and no additional fees charged.

Following your first month if you want to change your host family, you may be subject to a two-week notice period and may be charged a re-placement fee, depending on the reason for the change.

Rules, Expectations & Responsibilities

Health and safety

Canada is generally a very safe country, but please remember that students, especially girls, should not be out alone after dark.

For safety reasons people in Canada tend to carry only small amounts of cash with them, and use credit cards and/or bank machine cards to make purchases.

Friends and socializing

You are encouraged to bring your friends home for your host family to meet, but please get permission prior to bringing anyone into the home. Note, however, that the host family may place time restrictions on visits by your friends.

If you wish to go out with your friends, you must phone your host family and let them know where you are and when you will be home.

Sleepovers

Students may be allowed to participate in sleepovers with their friends provided they occur on non-school nights and that prior arrangements have been made. We expect that your assigned host family will contact the family where you intend to

stay for the sleepover to ensure that all parties are supportive of this opportunity. Because this confirmation is mandatory you must be prepared to give your host family at least 24 hour advance notice regarding your plans.

Sleepovers should be kept to a minimum and are not to include mixed genders.

Communication with your host family

All successful homestay experiences involve good communication between the student and their assigned host family. When a student wishes to go out with friends or to an activity without a member of the host family, the student is responsible for communicating the following:

• when the student will be going out,

• who the student is with when they are not in school or at their assigned homestay,

• what time the student expects to be home,

• when the student will be late for dinner.

The student must telephone the host family to discuss any changes to their routine or schedule and provide contact information for any friends or places that they will be visiting.


Curfew

A curfew is an order established by either the assigned host family or the student’s Custodial Guardian to return home by a specified time. This usually varies based on whether it is a school night or a non-school night.

It is important that the student remember that curfew is a privilege; not a right! An earlier curfew can be imposed based on a student’s behaviour.

Students are to respect the curfew established. Should a student be detained unexpectedly they must immediately notify their assigned host family as to the reason for their late arrival. They will also be expected to provide a new expected arrival time.

Unaccompanied travel

Unaccompanied travel must be approved by the student’s Custodial Guardian. For travel to be approved the student must complete our on-line travel request form at least 7 days prior to the intended travel.

Students must demonstrate that the travel is well planned and that emergency contact details are provided. Based on the nature of the travel, the Custodial Guardian may also request that the student’s natural parents provide written permission for their child to travel and that the natural parents release First Choice of any responsibility associated with any injury or damage resulting from the travel. Because your natural parents are not in Canada, the decision to allow your travel will ultimately be the responsibility of your Custodial Guardian.

Unaccompanied travel to the USA is not allowed unless the student is visiting a relative or meeting a family member at the destination.

Inappropriate behaviour

Some laws in Canada may be different from those in your own country. Remember, for example, that people under 19 years of age are forbidden to use alcohol, and alcohol may not be consumed in most public places (beaches, parks etc.). Marijuana and other drugs are illegal, and if you use them you may get sent back to your country.

If you participate in any of the following activities, you may be immediately expelled from the homestay program and/or school:

• using or possessing illegal drugs

• smoking inside the home (ask your host family where you can smoke outside)

• using alcohol illegally in or outside the home

• theft

• repeatedly disrespecting the host family (swearing, not observing curfews, not phoning when late, etc.)

• mistreating a person or animal

• physical, verbal or sexual abuse or harassment

• repeatedly missing classes and/or not doing homework

Attending school in Canada

While students may participate in international education programs for different reasons the primary purpose for your stay in Canada, according to the Government of Canada, is to be engaged in full-time studies at a Canadian secondary institution.

School Expectations in Canada

The minimum school-related expectations include the following:

Attend classes regularly.

Attendance is mandatory for all classes. Unexcused absences will not be tolerated. If you cannot attend school due to an illness, you must have your assigned host family, your Student Monitor, or your Custodial Guardian contact the school to confirm that this is an excused absence.

If a student misses classes due to an illness it is the responsibility of that student to make up any missed assignments.


Arrive to class on time.

It is considered to be both disruptive and disrespectful to arrive late for classes. All students must arrive with their required text books and other materials.

Complete homework assignments.

Class assignments may be given by your teachers for completion outside the classroom as homework. As students are marked based on the satisfactory completion of all assignments it is important that all assignments be completed on time. Incomplete assignments will not be tolerated.

Respect school policy

Generally students are prohibited from the following activities:

• Smoking on school property,

• Disrupting the learning process of others,

• Participating in the physical, verbal or sexual abuse of others,

• Intimidating or harassing other students or teachers,

• Possessing, using, or distributing illegal or restricted drugs and alcohol,

• Possessing and using identification that misrepresents your age, or

• Carrying, possessing or using weapons or any items which could be used or perceived as weapons.

Other rules and polices may be established by the school or school district from time to time. These guidelines are established to make your school experience as positive as possible.

Your school’s relationship to First Choice

First Choice is pleased to work closely with a number of school districts and individual schools within the Metro Vancouver area. This relationship provides a very positive support environment for international students under our care.

Our Student Monitors interact regularly with the individual school counsellors and the teachers of responsible for our students. Through this interaction we are often able to identify potential problems early and discuss corrective strategies to enhance the student’s school experience.

Additionally, any corrective discipline involving our students is done through a cooperative, shared approach between First Choice and the school. This ensures that the student has every opportunity to learn from poor choices and better understand the consequences of continued behavioural problems.

Student activities and planned trips

Working closely with a local fully licensed tour company First Choice is pleased to organize a number of overnight sightseeing excursions for high school students under our custodial care.

Overnight tours generally offer round-trip transportation, overnight accommodation (based on 4 people sharing a room), and include a number of optional activities to fully experience the communities and sights visited.

Examples of Overnight ours

Recent overnight, multi-day tours include a 4-day Rocky Mountain Ski/Snowboard tour, a 3-day Whistler Ski-Snowboard tour, a 3-day Victoria-Tofino Surf/Whale Watching tour, and a 2-day Seattle Shopping & Sightseeing tour.

Examples of Day Trips

Our Student Monitors also organize a number of day trips and fun activities that are designed to


ensure that every student has a truly remarkable and memorable experience in Canada.

Examples of activities that we have organized in the past include:

• sightseeing trips to Victoria or Whistler

• snowtubing on a local mountain

• attending an NHL hockey game,

• participating in a kayaking adventure

• visiting a local university.

An On-line Resource - www.myfci.ca

myFCI.ca is designed to serve as a one-stop support centre for the minor-aged students involved in our Monitored Custodial Guardianship program.

On this site you can quickly access important information and online forms to ensure that your Custodial Guardian and assigned Student Monitor are aware of your current requirements and/or any changes in your situation.

You will also find important safety information related to some of the unique activities that you may participate in during your stay in Canada.

We also post information about our exciting chaperoned tours to amazing places throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and the Pacific Northwest area of the USA. Your can even book your space on one of the tours and pay on-line.

Finally, you can also find useful links to sites that contain important information you may require or that will guide and assist you to connect with the community.

In Conclusion

Studying abroad can be a rich, rewarding experience. Often relationships that are formed while abroad continue to grow long after the student returns home and, sometimes, it is only at this point that students realize the impact of these relationships on their lives.

The rewards range from expanding your understanding of the world to discovering a new and valuable friend. Through such exchanges, friendships between individuals from different

countries can contribute to better understanding and world peace.

It is the sincere hope of the management and staff of First Choice International Placement Inc. that this international cultural and learning exchange experience will be the best, most memorable experience ever!

We are so glad to be part of this exciting adventure!

an orientation guide for international students studying ...€¦ · sharing their home with you...

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