--- title: ICES Blog | Reasons to host description: Reasons to host | 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. --- [![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/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On July 18, 2025 ## [You Don't Have to Solve the World's Problems—Just Open Your Door](https://blog.icesusa.org/you-dont-have-to-solve-the-worlds-problems-just-open-your-door) In a world that often feels overwhelmed by global challenges, it's easy to feel powerless. What can you do to really make a... *( 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/LVESEL%20Headshot%20v3.jpg) By [Lily Vesel](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/lily-vesel) On May 2, 2025 ## [Why Youth Exchange Matters More Than Ever in Today’s World](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-youth-exchange-matters-more-than-ever-in-todays-world) Youth exchange- what’s not to love? You get to share a family member with another family across the world and have the chance to... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Study Abroad](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/study-abroad), ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On December 13, 2024 ## [Holiday Homesickness: How Can You Help?](https://blog.icesusa.org/holiday-homesickness-how-can-you-help) Does your exchange student come from a country that celebrates Christmas? If so, you might notice homesickness looming on the... *( read )* Tags: [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host), [Homesickness](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/homesickness) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On August 30, 2024 ## [Spice Up Your Life!](https://blog.icesusa.org/spice-up-your-life) Are you tired of your routine? [Hosting an exchange student](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-i-host-exchange-students)is one way to spice up your life! Here are just a few of the many ways... *( 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/Brenda%20headshot.jpg) By [Brenda Padilla Ericksen](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brenda-padilla-ericksen) On April 12, 2024 ## [How Hosting an Exchange Student Fosters Empathy](https://blog.icesusa.org/how-hosting-an-exchange-student-fosters-empathy) [Empathy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy) can make or break your family dynamics. Boosting empathy improves relationships, communication, teamwork, kindness,... *( read )* Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/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 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/Brad%20Owens%20PR2.png) By [Brad Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/brad-owens) On May 2, 2022 ## [April Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/april-student-of-the-month) Congratulations to Paula Martinez Martinez for being chosen as the ICES April Student of the Month! Paula is from Madrid, Spain... *( read )* Tags: [Student of the Month](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/student-of-the-month), [Reasons to host](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host), [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 December 17, 2021 ## [How to Have an International Christmas!](https://blog.icesusa.org/how-to-have-an-international-christmas) Hosting an exchange student transforms Christmas into an international event. What could be more fun than sharing your Christmas... *( read )* Tags: [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays), [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 October 21, 2021 ## [Host Families' First Impressions](https://blog.icesusa.org/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... *( 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) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/Dana%20bio-1.jpg) By [Dana Nordlander](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/dana-nordlander) On August 9, 2021 ## [A Trip Down Memory Lane](https://blog.icesusa.org/a-trip-down-memory-lane) In honor of Exchange Student #7 joining our family, I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down Memory Lane. . . I'm... *( read )* Tags: [Cultural Exchange](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange), [Host mom](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-mom), [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 July 19, 2021 ## [Fun Hosting Boys!](https://blog.icesusa.org/fun-hosting-boys) Cassidy and Chris Miller have just said good-bye to Jose from Barcelona. He is one more international son that has lived with... *( 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), [VIEW MORE](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/reasons-to-host/page/2) ### 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.