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Kari Owens

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Kari is the National Training Director for International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES). She’s passionate about youth exchange and has experienced it from every angle. In high school, she spent an academic year in Rancagua, Chile as an exchange student, and has since been a host mom to more than a dozen exchange students. She and her husband also supported both of their daughters during their exchange years to Germany and Ecuador. Currently, Kari spends her days providing training to ICES field staff to equip them to provide outstanding support to students and host families throughout the U.S.





Recent Posts

Hosting a high school exchange student is an exciting, rewarding experience, filled with new adventures and challenges. Your...


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Tags: Host Families, Exchange Student, Host an exchange student,

Hosting a high school foreign exchange student is a unique and rewarding experience. But to truly make the most of it, it's...


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Tags: Host Families, Cultural Exchange, Exchange Student

If you've hosted an exchange student before, you know how transformative the experience can be. The laughter, the learning, the...


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Tags: Welcome Family, Cultural Exchange, Host an exchange student

When you picture a host family for an exchange student, what comes to mind? Maybe it's a picturesque suburban home with two...


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Tags: Host Families

We polled our host families to find out what they love most about hosting, and their responses were overflowing with enthusiasm!...


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Tags: Host Families, Host an exchange student, Family Fun

As we wrap up our Fourth of July celebrations and reflect on our nation's journey to independence, it's a good time to appreciate...


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Tags: Cultural Exchange, cultural understanding, 4th of July,

Now, more than ever, we are looking for ways to bring unity, peace, and understanding to our world.  Hosting an exchange student...


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Tags: Welcome Family, Host Families, Cultural Exchange,

For many teens around the world, the dream of studying abroad in the United States marks the beginning of a life-changing...


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Tags: Exchange Student, Youth Exchange, Student Screening

As the days grow longer and the weather warms, many people around the world embark on the annual tradition of spring cleaning....


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Tags: cultural understanding, Spring Cleaning

Hosting an exchange student can be an enriching experience for both the student and the host family. It's a chance to open your...


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Tags: Host Families, Exchange Student, Youth Exchange

Selecting your new exchange student is an enjoyable and exhilarating process! As you explore the options, take a moment to...


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Tags: Cultural Exchange, cultural understanding, Asian Culture

When the cold winds blow and snow falls from the sky, comfort foods are just the recipe for those cozy days inside. Most...


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Tags: International Cooking, cultural understanding, Recipes

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