Host Families Blog
Honey, I'm Home!
What strange days we are having right now. Many states have closed schools, and students are social distancing at home with their host families. How do you deal with a... keep reading
Dear Host Family Letter from Daiana
We asked our students to write a letter and submit a photo about their host family as a part of our “Dear Host Family” contest on social media. Students were... keep reading
Dear Host Family Letter from Julia
We asked our students to write a letter and submit a photo about their host family as a part of our “Dear Host Family” contest on social media. Students were... keep reading
Dear Host Family Letter from Johanna
We asked our students to write a letter and submit a photo about their host family as a part of our “Dear Host Family” contest on social media. Students were... keep reading
Hosting Across Generations
Hosting an exchange student impacts everyone involved for years to come after the exchange ends - it's what we call the "Lasting Impact" of exchanges. Sometimes, hosting even spans generations... keep reading
Support: How to Travel With Your Exchange Student
For American high school students, March is a very important time. The weather starts getting warmer and the beginning of spring looms in the air. However, one thing students are... keep reading
Adventure Rediscovered
When my husband and I were planning our honeymoon, we had no idea where to go. He had spent over a decade traveling the world with the Navy while I... keep reading
You're not Alone!
So, you've decided to host an exchange student! Your interest may have come from friends or coworkers hosting, a newspaper article you read, a tv or radio interview with students... keep reading
Days Off
Welcome to 2020! January is such a time of transition. If you are hosting a 10-month August student, you're halfway through your year. So crazy! If you've just finished your... keep reading
How to help your exchange student get around
CIEE High School USA participants are not allowed to drive. As such, host families are expected to help their international student arrange transportation. But don’t worry – this does not... keep reading
Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays from Louisiana! How are you celebrating the holiday season with your exchange student? For exchange students, celebrating the holidays on their exchange year can be an unforgettable experience... keep reading
Helping your student
Adjusting to a new culture, a new family, and a new school can be hard. Pre-departure orientations and in-community orientations help prepare students for what they will encounter in their... keep reading
Too much information!
We are reaching the three month mark into our hosting adventure. The excitement and newness of it all has worn off, routine has settled in, and unexpected challenges have began... keep reading
Settling in
We have just passed the 9 week mark with Alberto, our 5th exchange student. He’s settled in and other than the fact that he is perpetually late for everything (we... keep reading
Support: Sometimes You Need It!
Your new son or daughter from another country is here now and everything your Local Coordinator told you about adjusting to cross-cultural life is true! Hopefully you are having a... keep reading
Communication
Congratulations on making it this far! If this is your first-time hosting, pat yourself on the back. You have taken a big step by choosing to host an exchange student... keep reading
What is it like to be a welcome family
Not all CIEE host families host for a full academic year. Just as important are our welcome families. Welcome families "welcome" students into their home for a shorter amount of... keep reading
Happy Hosting from Vermont!
My name is Dolores (Didi) Gingue. I am a 52 year old mother of two adult children. My husband, Raymond, and I have been married for 26 years. We live... keep reading
Ahoj
Meet the Eikenhout family, from Michigan! This year, Emily and her family are hosting Magdalena from the Czech Republic. Check out Emily's video, to learn more about the beginning of... keep reading
Making dreams come true
My name is Gil Roy. My Wife and I started to host our first exchange student in 2009. Our first student came from Moldova in September 2009. Seven months later... keep reading
Feels like forever!
On our student's 4th week with us, I pointed out the milestone by saying "Happy Month-a-versary!" To which she answered, "Really? it feels like its been forever!" We both smiled... keep reading
And so we begin
Hello and Welcome. Our names are Sean and Amanda Ironmonger and this is our first time hosting a foreign exchange student. We have been looking forward to this for many... keep reading
New Adventures Begin
Hello friends and happy September! We are now 30 days into the host exchange life and I can say we LOVE it full heartedly! After spending SIX months waiting, praying... keep reading
So you think you want to host?
I remember when I called my parents to tell them I had decided to host an exchange student. A 15 year old exchange student. Me, a 31 year old, single... keep reading
First time for everything!
Hello, My name is Michael and I'm apparently, now, a blogger! As for my host family, it's just me, so no other names to share. I'm a high school teacher... keep reading
Our "Sorting Hat" Ceremony
Once we decided we would be host parents and our approvals had come through, we were so excited to look through profiles and select our student- until it actually came... keep reading
I Dream of Hosting
I have been brewing over the idea of one day hosting a student for what seemed like an eternity. YES, an eternity... In the 7th grade, back in the day... keep reading
#CIEEHostFamilyAdvice: Preparing for Arrival
We might have over 70 years of experience in international exchange, but our host families are the real exports! Every month, we ask our community to share with us their... keep reading
Host Family Guide: End of Year Logistics
The end of the exchange year brings with it both exciting events and difficult goodbyes, but it also comes with its fair share of questions and “loose ends.” Your student... keep reading
End-of-Year Advice From Experienced Host Families
Life changing experiences deserve a little acknowledgment and processing--and an exchange year is a life changing experience for everyone involved! As this year wraps up, set aside some time to... keep reading