Confort del Alma y de los Ojos

Thanks to Patricia and Ian, my first weeks in Canada went very well. I stayed with them for 2 months. I received a very warm welcome. Their apartment, my bedroom and my bathroom were perfect and clean. I spent many hours chatting with them, telling stories about everything, watching TV and listening to music. They gave me lots of advice and ideas for things to do. They supported me before my job interviews. They often asked about my family. I could manage my time as I wished. I was able to improve my English comprehension and expression. I would definitely recommend booking with them.

Patricia and Ian, thank you so much for everything. It was a real pleasure to live with you for these two months. You are the first part of my story in Canada and I will never forget you. Thank you for sharing your culture, your experiences and your culinary talents with me. It has exceeded my expectations. I think of you every day thanks to the new Jamaican songs on my playlist !! I miss those moments already.

Best wishes for you

Marion

A blessing from above for every newcomer

I landed on the 25th of October and I was initially second guessing my decision of sharing a home with a family but everything changed the moment I met Patricia and Ian.

I was welcomed by two of the most kind and genuine people you can meet and my anxiety disappeared the moment I entered their home. They greeted me with a beautiful dinner and were curious to get to know more about me and my background and so did they share stories of how they moved to Canada. They understand the struggle newcomers face by leaving their country of origin for a new life in Canada and not only do they host you in a beautiful home but they also do it at an unbeatable price.

I got to spend Christmas in a loving home and had the chance to taste Patricia’s amazing “pepper pot” with Hardo bread (this is must try). I also thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with Ian, Ian is such a kind and wise person. Whenever I felt tired and discouraged, Ian would remind me to keep focused and that all will be fine, he would share stories of the hardships he had to endure when he first arrived to Canada.

To sum it up, I can say that this is the absolute best place to come to if you’re a Newcomer to Canada, you will find a home and a family that cares about you, wants to know more about you and even talk to your family if you want to introduce them. It was a real blessing to have found Patricia and Ian to host me during my first Canadian winter and although the weather was cold, they always made sure to counter it with kindness and warmth.

I will forever be grateful to have met you and started my new journey with you by my side!

To share time with Patricia and Ian it was the most wonderful experience that I had when I rent a unit, its really very comfortable, they are very nice person, always trying to help you and of course they care about you. You can learn many thinks from them, I really appreciate all that they did for me and I want to say thanks a lot for everything I will never forget it. Of course we will keep in touch. Take care a lot please and I hope see you soon.

Thanks, Patricia and Ian, forever.

Paul's family provided me with one of the safest and most wonderful stays in their apartment during the pandemic and the coldest Canadian winter. It was a diverse experience with Patricia and Ian. I learned from the Jamaican - Guinean and Canadian cultures. Staying with them reminded me of my grandparent's guidance. They embraced my challenging times and shared their best advice. Let me mention that Patricia is a bold woman; she has a unique way of telling you everything you need to know for a living; I laughed hard with her. That is not all she loves to read and shared with me best sellers' books, and not only that, her homemade pastry, especially her loaf lemon cake, is the most delicious I have ever tried. And if you are worried about getting sick and wonder who can take care of you, Patricia is perfect. Her background will make you feel like heaven. On the other side, you have Ian, a conscious and wise person. He talked a lot which helped me with my English assignment and developed confidence in my daily practice. He also is very good at listening to your opinion and encourages you to take what best suits you. His guidance is like listening to a life coach. He also cooks like a chef.

The couple as hosts are always open to hearing you as a guest and customer. Although Homestay policy (organization, not the host) can present gaps in certain situations. Ian and Patricia supported me even though the policy did not. It is essential to highlight this; they advocated and addressed my inquiries and found a way to change what they could to preserve the guest experience and the relationship as a priority.

As far as I can say, the location is a very convenient place. You will find a Tim-Hortons and supermarket just 5 minutes walk. Also, the area has an incredible nature park 5-minute walk, right next to a river which adds a peaceful environment. Furthermore, the building is close to downtown; I went once, and it took me 15-20 minutes. I could not enjoy the surroundings as I wanted because of the Covid restrictions, but I enjoyed the facilities inside of the building. They have a common area as a playroom, pool and sauna inside.

I strongly recommend Paul's family as a host for short or long stays. They will shape your experience as one of the best you have ever had. I am very grateful to them; they are key to my success and development as a human being. I will keep their footprint in my heart forever.

A home away from home. I moved to Toronto in August of 2019 and i came to stay with Patricia and Ian from mid October. It was an amazing stay which motivated me to extend my stay by a month. Patricia takes care of you like a mother would and i thoroughly enjoyed the dinner conversations with Ian and Patricia on a range of topics. They are always up for helping people and give some critical tips on how to navigate your way around in Toronto! I wont be very far and would love to visit them regularly - especially when i can sniff the aroma of the cakes that Patricia bakes! :)