--- title: ICES Blog (14) 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. (14) --- [![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/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On February 3, 2023 ## [How Local Coordinators are Changing the World](https://blog.icesusa.org/how-local-coordinators-are-changing-the-world) Everyone wants their life to count for something. But can one person really make a difference? The answer is yes. Absolutely.... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Local Coordinator](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/local-coordinator) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On January 30, 2023 ## [Student of the Month - January 2023](https://blog.icesusa.org/student-of-the-month-january-2023) Congratulations to Giada Lucioli for being chosen as the [ICES Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/SOTM%20flyer.pdf) for January!  Guida is from [Siena, Italy](https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/) and... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Emma%20headshot-1.png) By [Emma Weissburg](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/emma-weissburg) On January 20, 2023 ## [10 Facts About Chinese New Year](https://blog.icesusa.org/10-facts-about-chinese-new-year) Mark your calendars! Chinese New Year is just around the corner.  Why learn about Chinese New Year? This holiday is celebrated by... *( read )* Tags: [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding), [cultural immersion](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-immersion) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On January 12, 2023 ## [Student of the Month - December 2022](https://blog.icesusa.org/student-of-the-month-december-2023) Congratulations to Beatrice Patti for being chosen as our ICES Student of the month for December! Beatrice is from [Sicily, Italy](https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily),... *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Elisa%20profile-1.jpg) By [Elisa Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/elisa-owens) On January 4, 2023 ## [7 Things I Learned on Exchange That Prepared Me for College](https://blog.icesusa.org/7-things-i-learned-on-exchange-that-prepared-me-for-college) We all get slightly different versions of the same lecture in high school about [planning for college](https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/college-planning-guide/), which is so so important!... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Study Abroad](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/study-abroad), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Emma%20headshot-1.png) By [Emma Weissburg](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/emma-weissburg) On December 17, 2022 ## [12 Christmas Traditions to Share With Your Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/12-christmas-traditions-to-share-with-your-exchange-student) Do you feel that in the air? No, I’m not talking about the gusty wind picking up as we journey deeper into the winter season.... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On December 15, 2022 ## [Student of the Month - November 2022](https://blog.icesusa.org/student-of-the-month-november-2022) Congratulations to Seoyun Choi for being chosen as our [ICES Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/SOTM%20flyer.pdf) for November!  Seoyun is from [Yongin-si, South...](https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/yongin-si/m0227bv?hl=en) *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On December 9, 2022 ## [What Surprises Polish Students in the USA?](https://blog.icesusa.org/what-surprises-polish-students-in-the-usa) What can Polish students teach us about our [American culture?](https://blog.icesusa.org/americans-do-the-strangest-things) Plenty! What surprises them? What are their own particular [culture...](https://blog.icesusa.org/culture-shock-whats-bugging-you) *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On December 5, 2022 ## [Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/five-star-gift-ideas-for-your-exchange-student) Christmas is a time of festive decorations, scrumptious treats, family traditions—and gifts! A major part of the holiday season, [...](https://www.giftsinternational.net/knowledge-hub/guide/gifts-unwrapped-the-history-of-christmas-presents#:~:text=To%20Christians%2C%20the%20gifts%20given,the%20story%20of%20the%20Nativity.) *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Emma%20headshot-1.png) By [Emma Weissburg](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/emma-weissburg) On November 23, 2022 ## [Why Americans Celebrate Thanksgiving](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-americans-celebrate-thanksgiving) It’s almost that time of year again! Widely celebrated by Americans across the country, Thanksgiving is an integral holiday to... *( read )* Tags: [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On November 8, 2022 ## [Student of the Month - October 2022](https://blog.icesusa.org/student-of-the-month-october-2022) Congratulations to Monica Serrano Aguilar for being chosen as our very first ICES Student of the Month for this school year.... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On November 2, 2022 ## [What Surprises Brazilians in the USA?](https://blog.icesusa.org/what-surprises-brazilians-in-the-usa) What do Brazilians notice when they come to live and study in the United States? *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange) [VIEW MORE](https://blog.icesusa.org/page/15) ### 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.