ICES exchange student volunteering with feeding the homeless

ICES exchange student volunteering with feeding the homeless Tonight we took the “Love Shack” out for the first time since March. Our exchange student Jan was so helpful and really enjoyed serving others. Ed drove and Zachary helped as well. It was so good to see familiar faces and serve alongside such wonderful people. I have missed my friends on … Read More

Jake has changed our family’s views on other cultures

Jake has changed our family’s views on other cultures Jakub is from the Czech Republic, staying in Saginaw Michigan in the small town of Chesaning. Jake has taken huge steps into understanding our culture, safety, and different creativities that define a unique individual. He has seen the news, the daily worries and chaos that this country is facing including covid, … Read More

Being an exchange student is all about accepting the unexpected

Being an exchange student is all about accepting the unexpected Being an exchange student is all about accepting the unexpected twists and turns that come about during the year. When Ilja left his home in Germany for the long flight to meet his host family in Medford, Oregon, he never expected to spend several days in Parker, Colorado! When Ilja … Read More

Adding more stories to our lives

Adding more stories to our lives We have so many stories to tell from our year with our first exchange student, Elisa from Germany. We had never thought about hosting a student until an ICES representative at our school said that she had someone who would fit in perfectly with our family. So, we took a leap of faith and … Read More

A hockey player – finally!

A hockey player – finally! We are huge hockey fans. It may seem weird to be hockey fans in the middle of the Mojave Desert – Las Vegas, but many of us here in Vegas came from somewhere else (Michigan and New York for us). I have been hauling hockey bags across town for over 20 years. Our oldest son … Read More

My first days in America

  My first days in America My first days in America were full of fun. I spent a lot of time with my host family as we traveled together and they showed me some places in Tomball, Texas where I am staying for my exchange year. The heat in Texas was horrible for me at the beginning but after few … Read More

Studying Abroad Changed my Perspective on Life

Studying Abroad Changed my Perspective on Life I would highly recommend that anyone who is tired of doing the same thing that everyone else is doing, go on an exchange year. I’ve always loved to travel so when I had the opportunity to live somewhere I couldn’t wait. I started off my year living in Orimattila, a small town about … Read More

Vietnamese exchange student in Patterson

Vietnamese exchange student in Patterson Patterson Irrigator, Patterson, California, May 28, 2020 by Cee Cee Howell / author Ngan Doan, known by her new American family and friends as “Nan,” has been in the United States since August 9, 2019. Originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Doan is a 15-year-old sophomore at Patterson High School. Doan was placed at … Read More

Our very first experience as a host family

Our very first experience as a host family We are a family of 6. We have 3 children of our own 1 boy and 2 girls ages 6,5 and 2 and 1 Foster child age 9. I came across a post on Facebook about this program. I reached out to the coordinator here in Oregon and she sent one of … Read More