--- title: ICES Blog description: This blog is our means of sharing what we love most—seeing exchange students, host families, and the global community growing closer together through youth exchange. It’s also a way for us to do what we love to do—provide support to students and host families to help them have the best experience possible, and help those who are not (yet) an exchange student or host family understand why they should consider getting involved. --- [![ices@2x](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png?width=77&name=ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png)](https://www.icesusa.org/)   - [INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/international-student-exchange-programs/) - [HOST A STUDENT](https://www.icesusa.org/host-a-student-overview/) - [AMERICAN STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/american-student-exchange-programs/) - [WORK WITH US](https://www.icesusa.org/student-exchange-careers-and-partnerships/) - [ABOUT US](https://www.icesusa.org/about-us-overview/) - [CONTACT US](https://www.icesusa.org/contact-ices/) - [BLOG](https://blog.icesusa.org) [Let's Talk](https://blog.icesusa.org/contact)subscribe ### I’d like to learn more about Campaign Creators! # Welcome to Our Blog, It's Good to See You Subscribe to our blog today! ### Pick a topic, any topic. - [Recent Posts](https://blog.icesusa.org) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On January 16, 2026 ## [Mid-Year Check: Make Your Year Great!](https://blog.icesusa.org/mid-year-check-make-your-year-great) Making it halfway through an exchange year is not easy. *( read )* Tags: [Student Support](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-support), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On January 9, 2026 ## [Why January Is the Best Time to Say Yes to Hosting](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-january-is-the-best-time-to-say-yes-to-hosting) January has a certain energy to it. *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On January 2, 2026 ## [How Different Cultures Celebrate the New Year](https://blog.icesusa.org/how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-new-year) In the United States, New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest parties of the year. Families and friends gather to celebrate with... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On December 19, 2025 ## [If Santa Had A Passport](https://blog.icesusa.org/if-santa-had-a-passport) If Santa really traveled the world, his passport would be bursting at the seams—creased pages, glittery stamps,... *( read )* Tags: [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding), [Christmas](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/christmas) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On December 11, 2025 ## [Winter Break Bucket List](https://blog.icesusa.org/winter-break-bucket-list) Winter break is here, and it's the perfect time to slow down from the school routine. With a few weeks off, you and your exchange... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On December 5, 2025 ## [Homesick for the Holidays? Tips for Staying Positive](https://blog.icesusa.org/homesick-for-the-holidays-tips-for-staying-positive) Many exchange students feel a little sad or emotional during the holidays. You might miss your family, your food, your... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On November 14, 2025 ## [Black Friday and Cyber Monday: An Exchange Student's Guide](https://blog.icesusa.org/black-friday-cyber-monday-an-exchange-students-guide) Americans love shopping… but they love sales even more. The biggest sales event of the year happens on Black Friday and Cyber... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Student Support](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-support), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On November 7, 2025 ## [Gratitude Culture Around the World: A Host Family Guide](https://blog.icesusa.org/gratitude-culture-around-the-world-a-host-family-guide) When your exchange student doesn’t say “thank you” after dinner it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ungrateful. [Around the world,...](https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.180391) *( read )* Tags: [cross-cultural gratitude](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cross-cultural-gratitude), [Gratitude in the USA](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/gratitude-in-the-usa), [gratitude challenge](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/gratitude-challenge) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On November 1, 2025 ## [Exchange Student Guide to an Awesome Holiday Season (Hint: Gratitude)](https://blog.icesusa.org/exchange-student-guide-to-an-awesome-holiday-season-hint-gratitude) The pumpkins are not yet gone, the air smells like cinnamon, and suddenly the world is sparkling again. November has arrived —... *( read )* Tags: [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On October 17, 2025 ## [11 Ways to Bounce Back from Culture Shock (and Start Having Fun Again)](https://blog.icesusa.org/11-ways-to-bounce-back-from-culture-shock-and-start-having-fun-again) The honeymoon phase is over, your daily routine feels—well, routine—and suddenly that “new country excitement” has worn off.... *( read )* Tags: [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Culture Shock](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/culture-shock), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On October 10, 2025 ## [Things That Might Seem Rude...but Aren’t](https://blog.icesusa.org/things-that-might-seem-rude...but-arent) Imagine this: Your new exchange student sits down at dinner, slurps loudly through a bowl of noodles, and then says nothing about... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding), [cross-cultural gratitude](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cross-cultural-gratitude), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On October 3, 2025 ## [6 Ways Playing Sports Benefits Exchange Students](https://blog.icesusa.org/6-ways-playing-sports-benefits-exchange-students) Picture this: Your exchange student nervously walks into soccer tryouts, unsure if she'll fit in with the American team. Fast... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [American high school](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/american-high-school) [VIEW MORE](https://blog.icesusa.org/page/2) ### Posts by Tag - [Cultural Exchange (141)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange) - [Exchange Student (106)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student) - [Host Families (97)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families) - [Host an exchange student (78)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student) - [Youth Exchange (68)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange) ## Subscribe to Our Blog Today! ![Boris_ICES_Ads](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Boris_ICES_Ads.png?width=749&height=698&name=Boris_ICES_Ads.png) - [INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/international-student-exchange-programs/) - [HOST A STUDENT](https://www.icesusa.org/host-a-student-overview/) - [AMERICAN STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/american-student-exchange-programs/) - [WORK WITH US](https://www.icesusa.org/student-exchange-careers-and-partnerships/) - [ABOUT US](https://www.icesusa.org/about-us-overview/) - [CONTACT US](https://www.icesusa.org/contact-ices/) - [BLOG](https://blog.icesusa.org/) © 2019 ICES - INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE SERVICES - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.