Homestay Life

With an easy-going lifestyle, an accepting multicultural community and an abundance of attractions, the Gold Coast is a fantastic place to live and study. Growing up on the Gold Coast I’ve experienced the amazing qualities the city has to offer and that’s why I feel honoured to be able to introduce this part of the world to international students when they choose to study here.

The Gold Coast is a destination that provides awesome opportunities to students and as such I’ve had many chances to better myself and my schooling, even though I’m still only at high school.

We first started accommodating international students as a homestay family years ago and I feel incredibly lucky to have befriended so many students from around the world while sharing some wonderful experiences with them. Everything from high ropes adventure courses to our beautiful beaches, a visit to the local markets, or just taking in the beautiful scenery – the Gold Coast has so much to offer. 

Fond memories

I have many fond memories with students who’ve stayed with my family, from trekking along hinterland walking trails to attending some of the city’s colourful festivals, many of which are free. I stay in touch with a lot of our student guests long after they’ve returned home and many of them reminisce with me about the events they attended here during their stay and how much they enjoyed their time on the Gold Coast.

One of my favourite memories is when I went water skiing with one of our most recent homestays. We had so much fun as my family taught her how to ski on a knee board. Even when she fell off the board and we stopped to help her get back into the boat she just laughed and asked to have yet another go, and no matter how many times she fell again she just kept smiling and laughing.

Adventure 

Another time we took one of our homestay guests and some of her friends on an adventure trying to conquer the Treetops high ropes course. Even when we came upon the most difficult parts of the course, they kept on trying their hardest. By the end of the day they were exhausted but they loved every minute of the experience. 

One of my favourite destinations to take our new student friends is the Glow Worm Caves at Natural Bridge. It’s always a special moment to see the expressions on their faces when they see this beautiful and natural wonder. The Gold Coast really is a treasure trove of beautiful locations and fun activities offering something for everyone.