--- title: ICES Blog | Host Families (6) description: Host Families | 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. (6) --- [![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/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On February 14, 2023 ## ["What I Love About My HOST State" Valentine's Contest Winners](https://blog.icesusa.org/what-i-love-about-my-host-state-valentines-contest-winners) When Valentine's Day was on the horizon, we asked our students to take the idea of "love" in an exciting new direction with a fun... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Student Experience](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-experience), ![](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/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 August 26, 2022 ## [Share the USA with Your Exchange Student - a Monthly Guide](https://blog.icesusa.org/share-the-usa-with-your-exchange-student-a-monthly-guide) All across the country, teens from around the world are diving into their exchange with the goal of learning about [American...](https://blog.icesusa.org/american-culture-101-make-it-a-game) *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [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 August 5, 2022 ## [Why I Host Exchange Students](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-i-host-exchange-students) Have you ever wondered why families invite a foreign teen to live with them for 5-10 months? And why many families do it over and... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Youth Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Emma%20headshot-1.png) By [Emma Weissburg](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/emma-weissburg) On July 23, 2022 ## [Top 5 Reasons to Host an Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/top-5-reasons-to-host-an-exchange-student) It’s easy to fall into routine. There’s comfort in routine. There’s less risk in routine.  But, the moment we step out of our... *( 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/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On June 10, 2022 ## [100 Questions to Help You Get to Know Your Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/100-questions-to-help-you-get-to-know-your-exchange-student) The summer months are the perfect time to start getting to know this fascinating teenager that will soon become part of your... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [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/Julianne%20headshot.png) By [Julianne Churchill](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/julianne-churchill) On March 11, 2022 ## [What's It Really Like to Live With a Host Family?](https://blog.icesusa.org/whats-it-really-like-to-live-with-a-host-family) Every [exchange student](https://www.icesusa.org/high-school-study-abroad/) knows the feeling of anticipation while waiting for a host family, and the excitement and nervousness of... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Study Abroad](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/study-abroad), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On February 14, 2022 ## [Share the Love Winners](https://blog.icesusa.org/share-the-love-winners) In preparation for Valentine's Day, we ran a photo contest in which we asked our exchange students to submit a photo showing us... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Student Experience](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-experience), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On January 14, 2022 ## [Hosting an Exchange Student Gluten-Free](https://blog.icesusa.org/hosting-an-exchange-student-gluten-free) Is it difficult to host an exchange student on a [gluten-free diet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet)?  *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Gluten-Free](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/gluten-free) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Kari%20Owens%20headshot2.png) By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) On November 24, 2021 ## [Pictures of Gratitude](https://blog.icesusa.org/pictures-of-gratitude) In preparation for Thanksgiving, we launched a photo contest in which we asked our students and host families to share captioned... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Host an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student), [Student Experience](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-experience), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On October 29, 2021 ## [Take Two: Hosting after a Storm](https://blog.icesusa.org/take-two-hosting-after-a-storm) A few years ago, the Browns' first exchange student literally stormed out of their home, leaving them heartbroken. Fortunately,... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange) [VIEW MORE](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families/page/7) ### 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.