EF High School Exchange Year

They made it! After a hectic weekend of navigating flight cancellations, delays, and rescheduling, our first wave of students finally arrived to their families. Here are just a few of our excited hosts meeting their students for the first time ✈🥰🇺🇸

"He’s here!!! The newest member of our family, Sungwoo from South Korea, arrived to begin his exchange year! He is exchange student #26, and we couldn’t be happier to have him join us!!" - What a fun welcoming from Sue for Texas!

Who else is meeting their student today? Share your photos in the comments 😍

Who has students arriving this weekend? ✈️ Our EF staff and summer mentors are excited to welcome students to the USA at EF Camp and EF Welcome Days! 🇺🇸

Next stop... their host families!! ✈️🇺🇸🥰

The Talamantes family, from New Mexico, had a fabulous past year with their exchange daughter, Alejandra from Spain. 🇪🇸

Alejandra got to take part in numerous family traditions, like wearing matching pajamas on Christmas, and was able to participate in her high school's cheerleading squad, alongside her host sister. 🌟

What are some fun traditions that you like to share with exchange students? Let us know your favorites in the comments! 👇

It's not "goodbye", it's "see you later"! ❤

The Rogers family, in Maryland, had a fantastic year with their exchange student, Julia from Austria. When they arrived at the airport in September to pick Julia up, they could never have imagined all the incredible memories that would be made.

Standing in that same airport and saying goodbye nine months later was bittersweet, but it always makes it easier knowing that with EF, it is not a "goodbye", it is a "see you later". ✨✈️

We're offering $1000 for every host family referral until July 31st! ✨ Do you know anyone who would make a great host family for an exchange student? Refer them today and earn $1000 when they host.

Refer here: https://efexchangeyear.org/referral/hf-general/

Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸

Independence Day in the USA is a time when people often gather to celebrate, barbecue, and watch fireworks. This is an exciting holiday for exchange students to get to participate in because it is a holiday unique to the United States. 🎆 ❤️

What are some other favorite holidays and traditions that you enjoy celebrating with your exchange students? Let us know in the comments! 💙

Do you know someone who'd make a great host family? ✨Refer them to EF! You can earn $500 when they sign up to host. 🌟🌍

Refer here: https://efexchangeyear.org/referral/hf-general/

Have questions about how it works? Let us know in the comments!

Meet the Holloway family ❤ The Holloways have hosted 7 students throughout the past decade. Last summer, they reunited with five of their former students on a trip to Barcelona, Spain 🇪🇸, and they even had matching t-shirts made to remember the trip by.

The Holloway's daughter, Cheyenne, says that she has loved the experience of her family hosting exchange students throughout her high school and college years, and she even decorated her college graduation cap with pictures of her and her exchange siblings throughout the years. 🌟

Do you have a special reunion story to share? Comment down below with your most incredible exchange reunion moments. 👇

Each year, EF exchange coordinators, students and host families have the opportunity to present the Global Education Excellence Award to schools in their community. This award is given to schools that have shown an incredible commitment to cultural exchange by accepting, welcoming and educating EF exchange students. 🌍🌟

Want to bring cultural exchange to your community? Visit the link in our bio to learn more!

Host mom and exchange coordinator Julie, from Nevada, brought her exchange son Carl, from Denmark, on an exciting visit to the fire station where his host brother works. ❤ Carl was able to get an up-close view of the fire trucks, and he even got to try on some of the fire men's gear. 🚒

What are some fun local trips and activities that you like to do with your exchange students? Let us know your favorites in the comments! 🌟

Sandra, a host mom and exchange coordinator from California, loved being able to send her exchange son Julian, from Germany 🇩🇪, and another EF exchange student, Johannes from Norway🇳🇴, off to prom. Julian and Johannes had an exciting exchange year in California, and Sandra was there every step of the way to make sure their year was the best it can be. 🌟

EF exchange coordinators get to network in their community, work with international youth, and earn exciting travel rewards. Want to learn more? Let us know in the comments! 🌍

The Jackson family, from Texas, had an incredible year with their exchange student Ida from Denmark! 🇩🇰 The Jackson family and Ida went on all sorts of exciting adventures together, but the best moments were the small ones, like sharing a joke or having a meal together. ❤ Ida now has an American family for life, and the Jackson family have a Danish daughter for life. 🌟🌍

What are some of your favorite "small moment" memories with exchange students?

The Thomsen family, from Iowa, celebrated a successful and exciting exchange year with their exchange daughter, Mai from Germany, by going out to dinner and enjoying a carriage ride in their hometown! ✨💐

What are some favorite ways to end an exchange year? If you have special traditions, favorite spots to visit, or unique ideas, let us know in the comments below! 👇

Yella, an exchange student from Switzerland, had a blast at her high school prom with some friends. The Lewis family, her host family from Alabama, has loved having her be a part of their family this year. 🌟❤

Host parents and coordinators David & Stacey, from Texas, have an incredible relationship with all of their exchange students, but especially with their very first exchange student, Paula. 🌟 This story shines a light on the amazing relationship that David and Stacey have maintained with Paula in the many years since her exchange. ❤

If you have stayed in touch with a former exchange student, comment below with your favorite memories, as well as tips for maintaining that relationship with students after the exchange has come to an end!

The Page family has had a wonderful year with their student Anni, from Germany 🇩🇪, at their home in Alabama. One of the many exciting adventures they have had this past year included a trip to Disney World! Anni had a blast with her host family, and everyone made memories they will treasure for a lifetime. ❤

The Eckelkamp family spent the last year exploring 🌍 with their exchange student, Lilly from Germany 🇩🇪, in an effort to show her as much of the Americas as possible during their time together! They visited Chicago, Phoenix, Indiana, Oklahoma, LA, New Orleans, Tampa and even traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 🌟 They also had the opportunity to visit some American favorites such as Disneyland, Sedona, and Universal Studios.

What are some must see spots for exchange students? Tell us your favorites in the comments! ❤

Meet Beth and Dale, from Tennessee, and hear why they have loved being both exchange coordinators and a host family with EF. ❤

Read their story here:

Abbotts sing the praises of hosting exchange students A local couple are spreading the word about hosting exchange students, their testimonial of their experience serving as a reason to consider hosting.

The Moreno family, from Nevada, spent a long weekend visiting all different parts of San Diego with their exchange student Sara, from Italy. 🗺 Exploring different parts of your region is an exciting moment for exchange students, and sometimes being a tourist in your own state or region can lead you to discover things you may not have even known about your area. 🌟

Thandi, an exchange student from Germany, celebrated with her host family and her friends after an amazing performance of the musical "SIX". ❤ Thandi has had a great time participating in the local theater group, and she is so lucky to have had such wonderful and supportive friends and family in attendance to watch her performance.

The Carlson family, from California, brought their exchange student Ludo, from Italy 🇮🇹, on an exciting safari adventure at Safari West in Santa Rosa, California. Ludo and the Carlson family had an amazing time - even getting to stay the night in a tent that was hand-made in Botswana. What an incredible adventure for this family ⭐️

Prom is always such an exciting American tradition for EF exchange students. ✨ Anastasija from Switzerland, an exchange student in Oklahoma, had a wonderful time at her school's prom this spring! Her host mom, Dian, snapped these photos before Anastasija and her date headed out for the evening. ❤

Shining, from Taiwan, had the opportunity to join her host sister in their school's spring pageant. 🌸 These two sisters had a great time being able to do this activity together, and it was such a fun opportunity for Shining to participate in an activity that her host sister enjoys. 🌟

Do you know someone who'd make a great host family? Refer them to EF! We're increasing our host family referral to $500 until June 15th - so you can help inspire the next class of EF host families ⭐

Help bring cultural exchange to your community. Refer great families here: https://efexchangeyear.org/referral/hf-general/

Host mom and IEC Cindy, from Missouri, planned an exciting road trip for this year's spring break. 🚙 Current exchange students, Lyvia from Taiwan and Yasmin from Denmark, along with former exchange student Michelle from the Netherlands (class of 2017), joined Cindy and her family for this cross-country road trip to Smoky Mountain National Park. ⛰ Along the way, this group was able to visit multiple cities including St. Louis, Nashville, and Metropolis. What an exciting spring break trip!

Meet exchange student Elsa, from Finland, and her hosts the Reed family, from Kentucky. ❤️ The Reed family has been able to bring Elsa on all sorts of exciting adventures during her exchange year - from family trips to Florida 🏝 to attending a Kentucky Wildcats basketball game 🏀. Elsa even had the opportunity to join the local cheer squad and has had a blast being a part of the team!