Chinese
From a Shared Student House to a True Homestay: Noon’s Reflection
When Noon first arrived in New Zealand, she lived in a shared student house in Auckland. Like many international students, she had a place to stay and other students around her. Yet she soon discovered that having somewhere to live is not always the same as feeling at home.
Moving into Ping and Barry’s homestay through Study Vision’s Homestay programme gave her a very different experience—one shaped by warmth, care and a genuine sense of belonging.
In her heartfelt thank-you note, Noon wrote about how lucky and grateful she felt to have Ping and Barry as her hosts. She said they looked after her “just like my own parents” and helped her feel warm, comfortable and supported throughout her time in Auckland.
What touched her most was not simply having a room of her own. It was the everyday kindness that made her feel truly cared for and included: Ping checking in on her, helping with practical parts of daily life, including the bathroom and her clothes, and sharing funny and interesting stories with her. These small gestures may have seemed ordinary, but to Noon, they meant a great deal. They transformed her experience from simply living in New Zealand to truly feeling at home in New Zealand.
Noon’s reflection also highlights the difference between shared student accommodation and a homestay. A shared house can offer independence, convenience and the chance to make friends with other students. A warm and caring homestay offers something different: a sense of family, personal support, cultural connection and the comfort of knowing that someone genuinely cares about how you are doing.
This is at the heart of Study Vision’s Homestay programme. We understand that accommodation is more than just a room. It plays an important role in a student’s wellbeing, confidence and overall experience abroad. Through the programme, students can be matched with welcoming host families who provide a safe, supportive and culturally enriching home away from home.
Noon’s experience is a valuable reminder for future international students: choosing accommodation is not just about where you sleep. It is also about the kind of experience you want to have while you are away from home.
For students who want to experience New Zealand family life, connect with local people and receive support during their time in Auckland, a homestay can become one of the most meaningful parts of their journey. Through Study Vision’s Homestay programme, students have the opportunity to live with caring host families, practise everyday English, learn about local life and build relationships that can last well beyond their stay.
Noon’s final words to Ping and Barry perhaps say it best. She thanked them for making her feel cared for and comfortable, and even joked that one day she would follow their travel plans around the South Island—although first, she needed to go home and practise driving!
Her story reminds us that the accommodation experiences we remember most are often not defined by the room itself, but by the people who made it feel like home.