Living with a Canadian Family as a New Immigrant

[sarahsos]

I'm looking into the possibility of living with a Canadian host family as a new immigrant. All the info I can find deals with hosting international students. I'm a single, late twenties woman and I don't plan on studying, I just want to stay with a family for safety, because I don't like living alone and to learn about and integrate into Canadian society. Are any programs available for someone like me?

 

[Tri-Cities]

I don't know that much about a certain program - sorry!

But here are some thoughts. Living in Canada for about 10 years I have been in quite some homes - jobwise and visiting friends.

I would recommend to rent a bachelor or one bed room in a family home, with a separat entrance and your own bathroom. I'm sorry to even say this but since it's the truth I feel like you should know, many many (canadian) families (god knows why) do not flush toilets! It's totally disgusting. I've never had this experience in my home country, but in Canada it seems to be a normal thing.

There are a lot of clean houses but there are also a lot of messy dirty houses and, people seem to not to care about it too much.
Not everyone but I find a lot of people are ignorant when it comes to noise etc. - what I mean by that is doors get slamed shut and if you're not a fan of smoking weed you might have difficulties living with a family. Smoking weed is (at least in BC) a common thing and usually those people expect you to accept it but you'll have no voice.

At the end of the day I think it depends on how "flexible" you are. I know I would never live in a situation like that, because it would drive me crazy.

Oh and btw living with a family doesn't mean you're safe! It might be the opposite!

Get information on the area you want to move into to. Get information about the conditions of the buidling and people who live there. Take your time and prepare yourself.

There are short term rentals, you might wanna try this first and start from there.

Good luck, TC

 

[sarahsos]

Wow! OK, thanks for the advice.

 

[Tri-Cities]

Just my thoughts - but you're welcome!

btw I also recommend (to women) to get a selfdefense training! In general, not because of Canada. Life got crazy here and there and; i think it's a good investment.

Another thought, if you start looking for a place from far away (on the internet) don't you ever sign an agreement over the internet. If you book a few days in a B&B or Motel etc it's a different story.

I have a friend and she started looking for a place and got in touch with a lady who offered a room and shared kitchen/bath/living room/garden/etcpp. My friend asked for pictures, especially since this lady told her she would paint the room and do this and that.
Pic's where never sent, but she wanted my friend to sign a lease.

Sometimes we get an odd feeling and we should trust our feeling. Sometimes research on the internet brings things to light - the good and the bad.

Be careful!

If possible book a short term place/motel/B&B and start looking after arrival.

Cheers!

(which part of Canada are you moving to...?)

 

[Leon]

I had a foreign coworker at some point who was living with a family and he was very happy and they were nice people. I also knew a young woman who was renting from a middle aged woman and they were having problems. The older woman did not really like her to sit in the living room etc. If you want to be safe, you should rent a bachelor or a 1 br. in a good neighbourhood in a good building. If you don't like living alone, go to any university and look if there are ads for roomies. Even though you are not studying, you can room with students, all female if you prefer. However, you should talk to them to see if you are a good fit to each other. You don't want to end up in a party house if you don't like partying etc.

 

[sarahsos]

Just my thoughts - but you're welcome!

btw I also recommend (to women) to get a selfdefense training! In general, not because of Canada. Life got crazy here and there and; i think it's a good investment.

Another thought, if you start looking for a place from far away (on the internet) don't you ever sign an agreement over the internet. If you book a few days in a B&B or Motel etc it's a different story.

I have a friend and she started looking for a place and got in touch with a lady who offered a room and shared kitchen/bath/living room/garden/etcpp. My friend asked for pictures, especially since this lady told her she would paint the room and do this and that.
Pic's where never sent, but she wanted my friend to sign a lease.

Sometimes we get an odd feeling and we should trust our feeling. Sometimes research on the internet brings things to light - the good and the bad.

Be careful!

If possible book a short term place/motel/B&B and start looking after arrival.

Cheers!

(which part of Canada are you moving to...?)

Hi, this is a late reply, but thanks for the advice. I've been reading up and I think I will be living on my own, haha! I'll be moving to New Brunswick.

 

[Tri-Cities]

That's a good decision!

Take care, and have fun in NB!!