While many central Texans unwind during the last lazy days of summer, Teal Scott, an exchange student coordinator for iE-USA, is working overtime. "We have over 35 students left looking for a host home before August 31," shares Teal, "and I know so many of the...

What is it like to add an exchange student to your family? How do they "fit in"? Host mom and Local Coordinator Pam Moore shares her story of building a life-long relationship with her host daughter, Laura.   I had talked to Laura by FaceTime, text, and email for...

We love stories from real life host families! Enjoy this interview with the Innes family, who have been a blessing to our program 3 times over! You have hosted three times. What was it that made your family decide to host? Two things: we had had au pairs for a couple...

[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]"It can't hurt - we'll try anything once!"[/perfectpullquote] Famous last words, or the start of an epic adventure? Luckily for Kelly and Andy Feulner, it was the beginning of something great....

This summer, two Illinois sisters who share a passion for FAMILY are teaming up!  One is pursuing a missional adoption, and the other works tirelessly to help high school exchange students find a host home. Using our $200 referral program, Lacey Landwehr and Amanda...

Why would a single parent of two teenage girls sign up to host an exchange student? Let's hear from host mom Charlotte Powell to find out! Thanks for being here Charlotte! Can you tell us - What was it that made you decide to host? I saw an ad in the local newspaper...

[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]Sparklers dance through hot dusky air, held fast by sticky ice-cream covered fingers. As a day of playful celebration comes to an end, bright explosions illumine the sky -...

When a family hosts an exchange student, a common side effect is a newly awakened passion and interest in travel and cultures! American teenager Emily participated in a 2 week German immersion experience with iE shortly after hosting an exchange student from China,...

iE Student Lukas Grimberg from Austria enjoyed every moment of his 5 month exchange at Bakersfield Christian High School, a place he was surprised to find he quickly felt at home! As an athletic student, Lukas thrived as part of both the tennis and soccer teams. "I...

Host parents Steve and Lynn Franko of Vassar, Michigan share their story of hosting a Spanish student named Javier - a decision that quite literally changed the course of their lives! Deciding to become IE host parents was not something we ever thought of doing at...

What does it mean to be a "family without borders"? For our host families, it means more than just being open-minded about other cultures - it means actually LIVING them! These families open up their innermost circle - their FAMILY unit - and embrace a student as one...

This Memorial Day, our country takes a collective breath: a moment of quietude to honor, remember, and celebrate those who lost their lives in battle, leaving behind a mutual legacy of peace and protection. But as we look behind us in remembrance, so too must we look...

What do we love about the local coordinator role? EVERYTHING! The students, the families, and the travel opportunities! Katie Gittins and Desirre Madrid talk about connection, relationship, and "bringing the world home." "All these kids are awesome, they impress me...

Have you ever thought about what goes on behind the scenes in student exchange? There are countless people working together to make the program run, and one of the most pivotal is the role of "Local Coordinator!" Most of our Local Coordinators discovered iE as a way...

Sometimes we feel like proud parents, just bursting with pride at the impact our students are making in their communities. Whether playing with their host siblings, building camaraderie in their high school sports teams, or giving back through charitable service, our...

Why I Cannot Possibly Forget My Old "New Life" By Julia Thurner, a 2015-2016 iE exchange student from Austria Yep, it’s been 9 months, and nope, I am not "over" leaving my exchange life behind! I have not forgotten it. And I never will. Many things about the exchange...

Robert and Joan Bowling didn’t plan on hosting international students, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. Excerpt from The Steward School Colonnade When Robert and Joan became "empty nesters," they welcomed this new chapter with open arms! “We had four...

Montenegrin legend Nives Bakic has a zest for life, travel, and inspiring others to live their dreams! As an English teacher AND iE's Montenegrin agent, she worked tirelessly supporting those students who dared to dream beyond their own backyard.  She now lives in the...

>>> Gotcha! <<< Haha! April Fools!  Truth be told, this Mount Rushmore renovation is nothing more than social media comedy at it's best. But did we have you going for a minute? 🙂 On a serious note, our National Monuments are one of the things that...

They say reality is stranger than fiction, and student exchange is no exception! Want to laugh harder than you ever have in your life? Host an exchange student! We love the funny stories we collect from host families over the years, and today we want to share one of...