The advice continues! In Part Two, our 2025-26 students share even more tips to help the 2026-27 class make the most of every opportunity. From stepping outside your comfort zone to building new friendships and embracing everyday moments, their experiences offer valuable reminders that an exchange year is about personal growth, connection, and trying new … Continue reading
It’s an exciting time of year! Our 2026-27 students are arriving, eager to meet their host families and see the place they’ll call home for the next year! Snapping a photo or taking a video of that initial ‘meet and greet’ at the airport is a great way to preserve your first memory together. Make … Continue reading
For Lisa and her family, opening their home to exchange students has always been about welcoming others and learning from the people they meet along the way. After years of fostering, Lisa and her husband, Carlos, knew they wanted to continue making room for new connections. During the 2025-26 school year, their family welcomed two … Continue reading
As our 2026-27 exchange students prepare to depart for the United States, who better to offer advice than students who have just completed the same experience? Our 2025-26 students are sharing the lessons they learned, memories they made, and tips they wish they had known before arriving. Whether you’re preparing to meet your host family … Continue reading
Sometimes the greatest gift of hosting is not what you give, but the person you gain. We hear from host dad Derek from Utah, who welcomed Ajia from Pakistan into his family during the 2025-26 school year with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program sponsored by the US Department of State. As he reflects on their … Continue reading
When Kathleen and her family decided to host an exchange student, they weren’t sure if it was the “right” time, but they chose to take a chance. What started as welcoming a student from Italy into their Texas home became something much more. During the 2025-26 school year, Giulio formed a special bond with their … Continue reading
Tahia from Bangladesh spent the 2025-26 school year in Utah with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, where she found more than just a host family, she found a second home. In her sweet thank-you letter, Tahia shares how her experience began with stepping into the unknown and grew … Continue reading
Today we hear from host dad Marshall from Texas, who, along with his family, welcomed Suvd from Mongolia and Liza from Ukraine into their home during the 2025-26 school year with the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State! Marshall adds, “This being my first year hosting exchange students, I didn’t … Continue reading
Cheers to Thank You Thursday! Today we’re sharing a thoughtful thank-you letter written by Haby from Mali, who is spending the 2025–26 school year in Utah with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Haby expresses her gratitude to her host family, International Coordinator, and the YES Program … Continue reading
What it’s really like to host an exchange student comes to life through three perspectives in this story! We first hear from Laura, a host mom from Nevada, her husband David, and their 2025-26 exchange student Terolin from India, with the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, as they reflect … Continue reading