ICES Blog | Kari Owens (5)

Kari Owens

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

By Kari Owens On December 3, 2021

Hangin' Loose in Hawaii

ICES staff members spend their days providing exchange students with the valuable opportunity to learn, experience, and enjoy a...

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Tags: Cultural Exchange, Local Coordinator, Travel for free

By Kari Owens On November 24, 2021

Pictures of Gratitude

In preparation for Thanksgiving, we launched a photo contest in which we asked our students and host families to share captioned...

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

By Kari Owens On October 21, 2021

Host Families' First Impressions

A few weeks ago, we shared our students' first impressions of life in the U.S. Now we'll give our host families a turn to share...

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Tags: Host an exchange student, Reasons to host

By Kari Owens On September 15, 2021

They're Here! First Impressions of the U.S.

Have you ever wondered what it's like for an exchange student to arrive in the U.S.? What cultural differences stand out to them?...

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Tags: Student Experience

By Kari Owens On July 26, 2021

Hosting an Exchange Student: FAQs

Thinking about hosting an exchange student? Or just curious about how it all works? We've rounded up our most commonly asked...

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Tags: Host an exchange student

By Kari Owens On May 25, 2021

ICES Student of the Month - May 2021

ICES is proud to introduce the Student of the Month for May, Chihok Gauy. Chihok is from Phnom Penh, Cambodia and is living with...

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Tags: Student of the Month

By Kari Owens On April 29, 2021

ICES Student of the Month - April 2021

Ivona Vanekova has been selected as the ICES Student of the Month for April. Ivona is from Prievidza, Slovakia and is living with...

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Tags: Exchange Student, Student of the Month, Youth Exchange

By Kari Owens On March 22, 2021

ICES Student of the Month - March 2021

Jaime Barea Velez has been named the ICES Student of the Month for March. Jaime is from Seville, Spain and is living with the...

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By Kari Owens On February 22, 2021

ICES Student of the Month - February 2021

We are proud to introduce Jana Dieckmann as our Student of the Month for February. Jana is from Gifhorn, Germany and is living...

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Tags: Exchange Student, Student of the Month

By Kari Owens On January 15, 2021

Exchange Prepared Me for Independence

In 2014, Issy Rushton was a spunky 15-year old girl who charmed the community of Florence, Oregon with her enthusiasm, energy,...

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Tags: ICES Alumni

By Kari Owens On October 23, 2020

Learning Culture from the Front Seat

I gathered my purse, snacks, jackets, and lap blankets and headed out the door to enjoy a soccer game with the kids: my three...

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Tags: Culture Shock

By Kari Owens On September 29, 2020

Exchange Students & Contact with Home: Helpful or Harmful?

Your exchange student is living thousands of miles from home for an extended period of time. Virtually everything is different...

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Tags: Student Support, Exchange Student, Culture Shock

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