Latest news with #homestay
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Treated like a criminal': 16-year-old Hong Kong homestay student deported
A teenage student from Hong Kong has alleged she was 'treated like a criminal' after she was suddenly deported during her homestay in Perth earlier this year. The 16-year-old girl had been living with her host family for less than a month, according to reports by local outlet WAMN News, when she became engaged in a dispute with them on March 3. The student, given the name 'Andrea' by WAMN to protect her identity, said she was on a video call with her mum when the host 'started to knock on my door really aggressively and asked me to go out for her to have a chat'. 'But she yelled at me, like for an hour, and whenever I went to say something, she's just saying I'm being rude, disrespectful, and I've no manners,' Andrea told WAMN in a video interview. 'So I ran back to my room because she's … slamming the table, and I went back to my room and locked the door, and she kept knocking on the door … She asked me to open the door and I say, 'Can I have an hour to calm down or can you send (a message) through text?'' When the host refused to leave Andrea alone, the teen called the police, who arrived at the house soon after with staff from TAFE International WA (TIWA). In a secret recording of the clash, the host can be heard screaming: 'You are so narcissistic. You are so self-centred and egoistic... I'm giving you notice now.' 'Answer me. Yes or no. Do you accept any responsibility that your behaviour is affecting other members of this home... yes or no.' Andrea claimed police told her she was being 'childish' after demanding she open her bedroom door. The person from TIWA then told her she had 10 minutes to pack her bags, and that she would be taken to the airport and sent back to Hong Kong. The teen said she felt that she 'was treated like a criminal' and had been accompanied by five police officers when she was taken to the airport. After waiting at the airport for six hours, Andrea flew home to Hong Kong. Following intervention from her mother and family's lawyer, she returned to Australia two days later, and is staying with a different host family while she continues her studies in Perth. Despite her return, Andrea said she was concerned other international students could suffer a similar fate. 'I think they will do the same thing to other international students, like deporting them for no reason and not letting them come back,' she said. 'And actually, I know there's lots of homestays also being mean or abusing those homestay students.' Her story went viral on Reddit, where a majority of social media users claimed there had to have been a large gap in the student's version of events. 'So, there was apparently one argument that night, the police came immediately, bailed her off to the airport and put her on a flight that night?' questioned one skeptic. 'There is OBVIOUSLY a MASSIVE part of this story missing.' 'So police were called on the 16 year old, and (she) was immediately removed from the house being escorted out by police?' questioned another. 'I'd like to hear the other side of the story, because we're not getting the full one.' A WA Police spokesperson confirmed in a statement that officers 'attended an address in Morley on 3 March 2025, in response to a reported disturbance'. 'A representative from the Department of Training and Workforce Development also attended,' they said. 'The disturbance complaint was resolved without further incident, no further police action was required. 'The Department of Training and Workforce Development drove a young person from the premises to the international airport where the person was presented to federal authorities. 'WA Police Force officers followed the vehicle to the airport but had no further involvement in the matter.' Local multicultural advocate Suresh Rajan said the incident raised questions about the treatment of international students in the state, and the conduct of TIWA, who 'have treated her as a criminal'. 'TIWA said they were cancelling her certificate of enrolment,' Mr Rajan told 'When they did that, they would argue that she was no longer a student and her visa conditions would be breached. But TIWA have no jurisdiction to deal with the visa. – that is a Home Affairs matter.' Mr Rajan said he had 'been concerned about the treatment of international students for a long time'. '(Andrea) is symptomatic of a system that is only concerned for the fees paid by international students, and not for their mental health and related matters,' he said. Asked about the matter at a press conference on Tuesday, WA Premier Roger Cook said he wasn't aware of its specifics, but maintained the state welcomed international students. According to the Federal Department of Education, there were 90,829 international student enrolments in WA in 2024, out of a total 1,095,298 enrolments across all sectors nationwide. 'The message for everyone who's looking to Western Australia as a place for their son or daughter to continue their education is that Western Australia is a safe place to live, it's a great place to live, and it's a terrific place to get your education,' Mr Cook said. 'I don't know the circumstances in relation to that particular deportation, but I do know that parents right across Asia are now looking to Australia as a safe place for their kids to further their education, as opposed to other markets like the US.'
Malay Mail
17-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Two Singaporeans found dead in sealed Cheras homestay room, burnt charcoal and ketamine discovered
KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — Two Singaporean nationals were found dead at a homestay in Taman Taynton View in Cheras here yesterday. Cheras district police chief ACP Aidil Bolhassan said a police inspection of the bodies found no external injuries. Both were fully clothed, and there were no signs of foul play. He said police received an emergency call at 12.53 pm yesterday, informing them that a 43-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were found unconscious in a room at a homestay on Jalan Nadchatiram by a staff member. According to him, the bodies were already decomposing and emitting a foul odour. 'Further checks at the scene found that the air-conditioner had been wrapped with blue garbage plastic pieces and the window sealed with plastic canvas. 'Inspections also revealed remnants of burnt charcoal in a barbecue container and a substance suspected to be ketamine on a plate in the room,' he said in a statement today. Aidil said police had recorded a statement from a female homestay worker, who said she noticed at 11 am that the front door of the homestay was still locked and the victims' shoes were still outside. According to Aidil, the woman knocked on the door several times but received no response, prompting her to inform the homestay manager. 'The manager then instructed her to unlock the front door using a spare key. Upon entering, she found the air-conditioner, ceiling fan and television switched on in the living room. 'She then proceeded to the third bedroom of the homestay and noticed tape around the door and the window sealed with plastic canvas. 'She opened the window and saw both victims lying unconscious on the bed, and the room was filled with a foul smell,' he said. Aidil added that an assistant medical officer from Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) pronounced both victims dead at the scene at 2.22 pm. The bodies were sent to HCTM for post-mortem examination. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
17-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
2 Singaporeans found dead at Cheras homestay
Cheras police chief Aidil Bolhassan said there were no signs of foul play. PETALING JAYA : The bodies of two Singaporeans, in a partially decomposed state, were discovered at a homestay in Taman Taynton View, Cheras, yesterday. Cheras police chief Aidil Bolhassan said the bodies of the man, 43, and woman, 33, were found in a room by the homestay's worker after he was unable to reach them during check-out. Aidil said a charcoal burner containing burnt residue, two boxes of unused charcoal and a substance suspected to be ketamine were found in a stainless steel dish in the room. The room's air conditioner and windows had been sealed with plastic trash bags and tape, he added. 'Both bodies were fully clothed, in an early stage of decomposition and emitting a foul odour,' Aidil said in a statement. 'No external injuries were found, and there were also no signs of foul play.' He said police had yet to determine the relationship between the two.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- The Independent
Rural homestay boom written in tea leaves
Tucked away amid towering trees in Shuikou village, Xu Dan's homestay attracts an uninterrupted flow of urban residents seeking serenity and tradition. At the main courtyard of her rural abode in Changxing county of Huzhou city in East China's Zhejiang province, lies a tranquil pool so clear that it resembles a mirror of the sky, with a small wooden boat gently drifting. Arched stone bridges span the water to link scattered courtyards and winding paths that meander through miniature artificial mountains, each rock carefully placed to echo the harmony of classic Chinese gardens. Tea artisans in flowing robes perform age-old rituals — steeping, pouring, and presenting the tea with graceful movements. Guests are welcomed not only with warmth but also a ceremonial tea treat: a trio of flavours, each steeped in meaning. 'The sweet tea, crafted from fragrant osmanthus blossoms and delicate tangerine slices, symbolises an abundant and joyful life. The salty tea is a mix of smoked beans, dried carrots, sesame seeds, orange peel, and crushed tea leaves that honours the toil of harvest and the earth's richness,' Xu says as she warmly welcomes guests in late April. Finally, the plain tea, simple and pure, lingers with a fresh aftertaste that evokes the essence of true friendship — like plain tea, friendship should be honest and unadorned, needing no embellishment to be deeply appreciated, she explains. 'Guests have shown a strong desire to pay more for the tea experiences we arrange,' Xu says. Born and raised in the village, the woman in her 30s started blending her homestay with intangible cultural heritage, particularly tea culture, in 2023. 'This idea came about because my uncle is a national-level inheritor of the local tea-making craft and its profound history,' she explains. Zisun tea originates from Changxing and boasts a history of over 1,200 years. It used to be highly prized and designated as an imperial tribute tea during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Crafted through meticulous traditional techniques, Zisun tea is distinguished by its fine, tender buds, subtle purplish hue, and shape resembling bamboo shoots — hence its name, which means 'purple bamboo shoot' tea. To integrate tea culture into the guest experience, Xu pays attention to the environment and activities. 'Each of the 16 rooms in two buildings is stocked with Zisun tea and has a designated tea-tasting area,' she says. 'On every floor, there are books about tea and collections of essays from local authors. Guests can enjoy tea while reading, which creates a quiet, immersive experience.' She also hosts interactive events to deepen visitors' engagement. 'I organise activities like Song Dynasty (960-1279) tea-whisking demonstrations, tea cake-making workshops, and modern tea-blending sessions,' she says. Currently, it's tea-picking season and guests can participate in harvesting the leaves. The tea culture theme has noticeably upgraded her business. The homestay has been a family business since 2014, when her mother opened a farmhouse-style inn. It evolved into a fine agritourism experience when Xu took over in 2018 after quitting her product development job in Hangzhou, the provincial capital. 'I saw huge growth potential and wanted to incorporate my creative ideas into traditional culture,' she says. Her efforts in cultural enhancement have improved the homestay's overall quality, which has brought guests of diverse backgrounds. 'Previously, most of my visitors were elderly,' she says. 'Now, we're seeing more families and younger seniors. The guests have a greater awareness of culture,' she notes. Her homestay is among more than 500 in the village, many of which have cashed in on the integration of rural culture and tourism over the years. 'Nearly every household is involved. This makes it the largest rural tourism cluster in northern Zhejiang,' says Zhang Yuhua, the first secretary of the rural homestay industry association in Shuikou. The village attracted over 4.5 million visitors last year, generating about 1.5 billion yuan (£155.37 million) in tourism revenue.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE My sister said she was staying with a 'great' family and told us not to worry. Three months later, she was murdered, dismembered and buried under Fred and Rose West's patio. For the first time, this is the truth about our family's nightmare: DEZRA CHAMBERS
Written in touchingly neat handwriting, the letter 16-year-old Alison Chambers sent home to her mum in May 1979 declared that she was settled and happy. 'I am at present living with a very homely family, and I look after their children and do some of their housework,' she wrote. 'We all get on great together, and I have readily accepted them as a second family. But please note you are and always will be my own family.'
