A place to stay for new students

A surprise act of kindness that’s made a big difference to two visitors arriving in Canada. One person who saw this happen in Hamilton says it shows that news doesn’t have to be all bad, and that there really are people out there with a good heart.

Al Sweeney has the details.

Two young men from France arrived here Thursday to begin studies at McMaster, when that unusual act of kindness and generosity kept their visit from getting off to a very bad start.   

Salah Belaouni and Yassine Mazouz got their first look at McMaster University Friday, where they’ll be studying as exchange students.

But there was trouble on the way.

Lori Willmore from Airways Transit was driving them to Hamilton from the airport Thursday when it turned out they couldn’t get into the apartment they’d rented.

“(The good samaritan) noticed they were on the phone and they weren’t happy and they actually looked afraid.”

They had no place to stay.

Until the unexpected happened.

“They’re here from France and they have nowhere to go, they dont know anybody. Their English is limited and here’s this guy who said to them, ‘it’s no problem, you can come and stay with me for the night. it’s not a problem.’ “

Bruce Frampton was on the bus coming home from Nova Scotia and opened his house to the two complete strangers with his partner Theresa’s complete agreement.

“Well, they looked a little tired because they had been travelling for about 17 hours and I thought it was kind of important to make a good first impression in Canada.”

Frampton was overseas numerous times in a 25-year army career, and was struck by the hospitality he’d receive from people who had little for themselves.

This was a chance to return the favour.

“You see some of the poorer places in the world and yet people extend their hosptiality so, it was just sort of karma, right?”

Salah Belaouni said “I call it Canada welcome, special welcome.  We know that Canadian people are very welcoming, they welcome everyone.”

For Salah and Yassine, hospitality became a reality.

“Canadian hospital actually.  It‘s not just an idea or a concept, it‘s real. Our first day here in Canada and starting awesome so we’re very happy. We’ll be getting a good start.”

Driver Lori Willmore sums it up.

“Canada eh? Ha, Ha, Ha.”

“Like Wow! Wow! It really, really renews your faith in humanity.”

Bruce Frampton hadn’t met the students before that bus ride from the airport.  He says wasn’t concerned about taking strangers into his home.  Instead, he says if you can extend hospitality as a Canadian, then why not do it.