Category Archive

Ti has been such a blessing … (text message from a host dad to the ICES Field Manager)   We did a 15.50 mile bicycle ride on the Armstrong Trail yesterday.  We went all the way to Lock & Dam #9 and back to our house.  She’s excited as am I and Jing to take her to the Canadian side … Read More

we knew right away that it was something that we were being called to explore and do…   For anyone pondering if they should become a host family, I would suggest that you do it. It’s much more than proving room and board. It’s been an extension of our hearts, home and family. My husband and I had gotten to … Read More

Our advice to those thinking about hosting… DO IT!   Being a host family has been one of the biggest blessings we have encountered. It’s much more than proving room and board. It’s been an extension of our hearts, home and family. We now have, a “daughter” Maria, in Brazil from our first hosting experience. Currently, a Chinese daughter Tiko, … Read More

The memories and excursions will last a lifetime until we meet up again and make more… I want to share the privilege of having been the host family for Tailyn (Tay). She came to us from Victoria, Australia. It was after a very hard experience that my husband and I found out that Tay had been added to the list … Read More

“we had 3 girls the same age living under one roof”   When I was asked to write a short letter sharing our experience with hosting a foreign exchange student, I was honored. Our experience was possibly not like many, as we didn’t expect to have our Helle [from Norway].  She was a surprise for us, but what a blessing … Read More

Solveig, from Norway, has definitely become a part of the Shockley family   “She never really became homesick. It was almost like she had known us her whole life; she just fit right in! We are so happy that we chose her to come in to our home!” Solveig made all A’s last 6 weeks and Solveig has joined the … Read More

Hosting an exchange student was nothing our family had planned …   … until coming across an ICES post and learning about all of the wonderful students waiting for families. And from that moment our journey began… This is now our second year hosting and it has been an amazing experience for entire family. Our first student, Katrine from Denmark … Read More

“Teenagers are fun! They get you moving, thinking, and learning in new ways …”   What more could a middle-aged, newlywed, childless couple ask for in an exchange student than our charming polyglot, Sophia, from Saarland, Germany? Having spent the past several years living in France, Geoff and I returned to his adopted home of Pensacola, Florida, last June. Hosting … Read More

Little did I know how exciting and rewarding my life would become   ‘What a difference a year makes’ is perhaps a trite and over-used expression in America but oh so true in my life! Last year, some time late in February, I received what I thought was an unusual call from a very jolly man (George Barley) asking me … Read More

We could not be happier about deciding to have a foreign exchange student   We were nervous about how well our two young boys would adapt to a new roommate, but they absolutely love it! My husband and I were also nervous about the change in schedules and how well we would be able to keep up. It’s a reality … Read More