Now that our 2025-26 exchange students are settling in, it’s the perfect time to share advice from the 2024-25 students. Their tips are packed with fun ideas and helpful reminders to make your exchange year unforgettable. Stay tuned for Part Two! Don’t overthink small details. Make the friends you can and make the best of … Continue reading
As many of our exchange students begin settling into their communities, it’s the perfect time to hear from Mia, who spent her 2024–25 school year in Italy. She shares her top advice for students as they start this life-changing experience. You can read more about her journey here in My Time as an American Exchange … Continue reading
As we welcome our new exchange students for the 2025–26 school year, we also want to take a moment to look back and share one last sweet reflection from last year. Angelina from Germany spent her 2024-25 exchange year in Utah with her host family. Before heading home, she wrote this heartfelt thank-you letter to … Continue reading
Today we hear from Holley, a host mom and International Coordinator in Wisconsin, who recently reunited with several of her former exchange students in Europe. She and her family traveled through France, Italy, and Switzerland, sharing meals, birthdays, and everyday moments with her former students and their families. As Holley says, “life is better with … Continue reading
Every rescued life tells a story of hope and new beginnings. Today we hear from John, the founder of Emery Cat Rescue, about Ferb, a cat who found a second chance at life. Stacey and her family were fostering Ferb and hosting Liséa from France during the 2024–25 school year, and Liséa quickly bonded with … Continue reading
Rachel and her family were hosting Pietro from Italy for the 2024–25 school year when, just three months in, she learned she would need open brain surgery before Christmas. She and her husband gave Pietro the choice to stay or move to another host family, and he chose to stay. His optimism and kindness reminded … Continue reading
Today we hear from Sarah from France, who spent the 2018-2019 school year as an exchange student in Texas. Now, seven years later, she’s back visiting her American host family and friends. Sarah shares how her exchange experience helped shape her future, opened new opportunities, and led her to where she is today, all thanks … Continue reading
It’s an exciting time of year! Many of our exchange 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 … Continue reading
Jodi joined Aspect in 2004 as a coordinator. Since then, she’s helped over 600 students find caring host families and create lasting memories. Now a Team Manager, Jodi is like family to many students! We asked a few to share what she means to them and here’s what they said. Mama Jodi, Looking back on … Continue reading
One of our favorite questions to ask students at the end of their exchange year is simple: How have you grown? Their answers are always thoughtful, honest, and often inspiring. From gaining independence and learning to adapt, to becoming more open-minded and confident, here’s what our 2024-25 students had to say about the ways exchange … Continue reading