--- title: ICES Blog (20) 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. (20) --- [![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/Logo%20Big.png) By [ICES](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/ices) On April 27, 2021 ## [Meet Our Scholarship Winners!](https://blog.icesusa.org/2021-scholarship-winners) We are pleased to introduce this year's scholarship winners and share their winning essays. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders,... *( read )* Tags: [Scholarships](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/scholarships), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On April 17, 2021 ## [Dad to Dad](https://blog.icesusa.org/dad-to-dad) Ok, first, before I get into the meat of this little discussion, I just want to say: I get it. I’ve been there. A friend of your... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On April 9, 2021 ## [Make a Friend in Spain…](https://blog.icesusa.org/make-a-friend-in-spain-) Do you dream of visiting Spain one day? Hosting an exchange student from this warm, fun-loving Mediterranean country could be a... *( read )* ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On March 27, 2021 ## [Make a Paella Party - the Easy Way](https://blog.icesusa.org/make-a-paella-party-the-easy-way) Your exchange student from Spain should make you a paella. Every Spanish teenager knows that, but many will procrastinate until... *( read )* Tags: [International Cooking](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/international-cooking) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On March 22, 2021 ## [ICES Student of the Month - March 2021](https://blog.icesusa.org/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](https://www.britannica.com/place/Sevilla-Spain) and is living with the... *( read )* ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kyra%20Hess.png) By [Kyra Hess, Scholarship Winner](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kyra-hess) On March 12, 2021 ## [Conflict, Peace, and Societal Maturity](https://blog.icesusa.org/conflict-peace-and-societal-maturity) Any parent of a rambunctious toddler will tell you that their child's favorite word is "mine". Lacking the conceptual knowledge... *( read )* Tags: [Scholarships](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/scholarships), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On March 5, 2021 ## [Make a Friend in Italy...](https://blog.icesusa.org/make-a-friend-in-italy) #### **Are you a fan of all things Italian? You might love to host a student from Italy, but read this first!** Every year hundreds of... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On February 22, 2021 ## [ICES Student of the Month - February 2021](https://blog.icesusa.org/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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gifhorn) and is living... *( read )* Tags: [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 February 19, 2021 ## [Make a Friend in Korea...](https://blog.icesusa.org/make-a-friend-in-korea) #### Is hosting an exchange student a good way to make a friend in Korea? Definitely! But do look before you leap... *Jasmine (2nd from...* *( read )* Tags: [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host), [cultural understanding](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-understanding) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On February 11, 2021 ## [Educators & Youth Exchange Fit Like a Glove](https://blog.icesusa.org/educators-youth-exchange-fit-like-a-glove) When two things working together are a perfect fit, the analogies used to describe what that feels and looks like are abundant:... *( read )* ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Logo%20Big.png) By [ICES](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/ices) On January 22, 2021 ## [ICES Student of the Month - January 2021](https://blog.icesusa.org/ices-student-of-the-month-january-2021) Thomas Schaper has been named the ICES Student of the Month for January. Thomas is from Berlin, Germany and is living with the... *( read )* Tags: [StudentoftheMonth](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/studentofthemonth) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On January 15, 2021 ## [Exchange Prepared Me for Independence](https://blog.icesusa.org/exchange-prepared-me-for-independence) In 2014, Issy Rushton was a spunky 15-year old girl who charmed the community of [Florence, Orego](https://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/regions-cities/florence/)n with her enthusiasm, energy,... *( read )* Tags: [ICES Alumni](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/ices-alumni) [VIEW MORE](https://blog.icesusa.org/page/21) ### 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.