Organization for Cultural Exchange Among Nations - OCEAN

06/15/2026

🎸🏐📸 Meet Bolor from Mongolia! 🇲🇳🇺🇸

There are some students who immediately make you think, "She'll be a wonderful addition to a host family." Bolor is one of those students.

Bolor is excited to spend the upcoming school year in the United States, experience American culture firsthand, and become part of a welcoming family and community.

A little about Bolor:
🎸 Enjoys playing guitar and loves music
🏐 Enjoys volleyball, badminton, and staying active
📸 Loves photography and capturing special moments
🍪 Enjoys baking, cooking, and trying new recipes
🧶 Creative and enjoys crocheting, crafts, and DIY projects
📚 Loves reading and learning new things
🌎 Excited to learn about American traditions while sharing her own culture from Mongolia
Bolor is described as kind, respectful, responsible, and eager to learn. While she may be a little shy when meeting new people, she quickly becomes warm, engaging, and comfortable with those around her.

Hosting an exchange student isn't about having a perfect family—it's about opening your home and sharing everyday life. Family dinners, school activities, holidays, community events, weekend adventures, and simple moments often become the memories students and host families treasure most.

As school start dates and placement deadlines continue to draw closer, we are hoping to connect Bolor with the family that is meant to be hers for the upcoming school year.

💵 Know someone who would make a great host family? OCEAN offers a $250 referral incentive when your referral completes a host family application and successfully hosts a student.

📞 Call or Text Dawna Marez: (480) 297-9174
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Apply Online: www.ocean-intl.org/host-family-forms⁠�

🏡 Short-term welcome families are also encouraged while a permanent placement is finalized.

Please share and help us connect Bolor with her American host family. 🇲🇳❤️🇺🇸

06/14/2026

👧🇮🇹 Do Your Children Wish They Had an Older Sister? Meet Giorgia from Italy

Placement deadlines are approaching, and we're hoping to find a host family for Giorgia, a 16-year-old student from Italy who is excited to spend the 2026–2027 school year in the United States through OCEAN's cultural exchange program.

As the youngest of three siblings, Giorgia would love the opportunity to become part of an American family. If your children have ever wished for an older sister to cheer them on, play games, attend school events, share family dinners, and create lifelong memories, Giorgia could be a wonderful fit.

A little about Giorgia:
🏊 She loves swimming and spends as much time in the water as possible.
🐶 She adores dogs and dreams of having a house full of them someday.
👧 She enjoys spending time with children and hopes to become a nursery school teacher in the future.
🎵 She loves music, concerts, and discovering new songs.
⚽ She enjoys sports, including soccer and beach volleyball.
🌎 She is excited to learn about American traditions while sharing her own Italian culture, language, and family customs.

Giorgia is kind, cheerful, energetic, and adaptable. She is looking forward to becoming a true member of her host family, building genuine relationships, and creating memories that will last long after her exchange year ends.

Host families come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you have young children, teenagers, pets, or simply a welcoming home, you may be exactly the family Giorgia is hoping to find.

Please help us find Giorgia an American host family before placement deadlines arrive. A share could help connect her with the perfect family.

💙 Know someone who might be interested? OCEAN offers a $250 referral thank-you payment when you refer a family that completes the hosting process and welcomes one of our exchange students.

📞 (480) 297-9174
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://www.ocean-intl.org/host-family-forms⁠�

Please share with families, teachers, coaches, church groups, swim families, dog lovers, and anyone who may be interested in welcoming an Italian daughter for the school year. 🇮🇹❤️🇺🇸

05/31/2026

🌎❤️ HELP US FIND HOST FAMILIES FOR OUR FINAL 7 EXCHANGE STUDENTS! ❤️🌎

The countdown to the 2026-2027 school year is on, and we have just 7 wonderful students still hoping to find an American host family. Each student has been carefully screened, has medical insurance and spending money, and is excited to become part of an American family and community.

🇯🇵 Umi (Japan, Age 15)
Loves cooking, baking, photography, piano, basketball, volleyball, and drawing. Umi is excited to experience American family life and share her Japanese culture.

🇲🇳 Nandia (Mongolia, Age 16)
Nandia is a kind, respectful, and thoughtful student who enjoys music, movies, video editing, volleyball, dance, skateboarding, and playing the ukulele. While she may be a little shy when first meeting new people, she quickly opens up and enjoys building meaningful friendships. Nandia is excited to experience American culture, challenge herself with new experiences, and become part of a welcoming host family.

🇮🇹 Giorgia (Italy, Age 16)
Enjoys swimming, gymnastics, music, photography, and art. Giorgia is friendly, positive, and excited to become part of an American family.

🇲🇳 Bolor-Erdene (Mongolia, Age 15)
A kind and motivated student looking forward to experiencing American school and family life while sharing his Mongolian culture and traditions.

🇪🇸 Juan (Spain, Age 17)
Enjoys soccer, golf, running, and outdoor activities. Juan hopes to become involved in school and community activities while building lifelong friendships.

🇪🇸 Enrique (Spain, Age 15)
Loves animals, martial arts, swimming, and the outdoors. He is especially interested in rural and small-town America.

🇲🇳 Dulguunmurun (Mongolia, Age 15)
Enjoys basketball, volleyball, piano, music, and spending time with family and friends. He is eager to experience American school life and culture.

✨ Host families come in all shapes and sizes. You don't need to be wealthy, have children at home, or have a spare guest room. What matters most is a caring home and a willingness to share your family and community.

✅ Students have their own spending money
✅ Students carry medical insurance
✅ OCEAN provides support throughout the entire exchange experience

🙏 Want to help but aren't in a position to host? Please consider sharing this post with your friends, family, coworkers, church members, neighbors, or anyone who might be interested in hosting a student whose interests fit their family's lifestyle.

💙 OCEAN offers a $250 referral fee if your referral becomes a host family.

🏡 We are also looking for short-term welcome families. Welcome families provide a temporary home for a student when they first arrive, allowing them to get settled into school and the community while we continue searching for a permanent host family. Even a few weeks of hosting can make a tremendous difference in a student's experience.

📩 Message us today to learn more about hosting, becoming a welcome family, or referring a potential host family.

Please share this post and help us bring these students' dreams of studying in America to life! 🌎❤️

05/28/2026

🇯🇵 HOST FAMILY STILL NEEDED FOR UMI 🇺🇸

As summer moves closer to arrival season, Umi is still hoping to find a welcoming American host family for the 2026–2027 school year. ❤️

Umi is a thoughtful and family-oriented 15-year-old student from Japan who is excited to experience everyday life in the United States and become part of a caring family.

She enjoys:
🎹 Piano
🏀 Basketball & Volleyball
🍳 Cooking and spending time with family
🌎 Learning about new cultures and traditions

Her teachers describe her as kind, respectful, and easy to connect with. Umi is looking forward to sharing her culture while also learning about yours — from family dinners and school events to simple everyday moments that become lifelong memories.

Hosting is not about being perfect. It’s about opening your home, sharing your life, and creating a connection that can last forever.

✔️ Students come with their own spending money and medical insurance
✔️ OCEAN provides support throughout the entire program
✔️ Host families provide a safe and welcoming home environment

Families who commit soon will still have time to begin building a relationship with Umi before arrival through calls and messages over the summer.

📩 Interested in learning more about hosting Umi? Message us today or apply online:
https://www.ocean-intl.org/learn-more-about-hosting

Please share — you never know who may be the perfect match for Umi. 🌎

05/11/2026

Happy Volunteer Host Family Week! 💙

This week we want to recognize the wonderful families who choose to welcome an exchange student into their home and daily life. Hosting is more than providing a bedroom — it’s sharing traditions, meals, laughter, school events, holidays, and everyday moments that leave a lasting impact on both the student and the host family.

Thank you to all of our host families for your kindness, support, patience, and willingness to help students from around the world experience life in the United States. The connections built through exchange truly do last a lifetime.

We appreciate each and every one of you and everything you do for our students ❤️

05/07/2026

Leaving the US as an exchange student can be as emotional and challenging as arriving. Our latest blog, “The Transition Home,” shares practical advice and heartfelt tips to help students and host families navigate the return — from saying goodbye to processing reverse culture shock. Read more: https://wix.to/hCMFlMT

Helping Exchange Students Navigate Life After the USAWritten by Dawna MarezFor many exchange students, arriving in the United States feels like stepping into an entirely new world. There is excitement, nervousness, cultural adjustment, and eventually the incredible growth that comes from becoming pa...

04/30/2026

✨ As we come to the end of the school year, we’ve been reflecting on the experiences our students have had this year—and what hosting truly means.

It’s not just about a place to stay… it’s about connection, growth, and becoming part of a family 💛

🇮🇹 One student shared that her host family became her “second family,” including her in traditions, everyday routines, and making her feel at home from the very beginning.

🇪🇸 Another discovered a brand new passion—joining a school team and finding confidence, friendships, and unforgettable memories along the way.

🇪🇸 One student said simply: “I feel like I’m home with my family.”

🇫🇷 And another reflected that living with a host family means experiencing real American life—meals, conversations, routines—and building a true sense of belonging.

💛 These are the moments that define an exchange year:
• Feeling like part of a family
• Trying something new
• Building confidence
• Creating lifelong connections

As this group of students heads home, we’re already preparing for the next group arriving for the 2026–2027 school year.

📅 Many schools have a May 15 deadline to apply for host families

If you’ve ever considered hosting—even just a little—this is the time to learn more.

💬 Message me anytime with questions
📝 Or start here (no obligation, just the first step):
https://www.ocean-intl.org/host-family-application

✨ One home can truly shape a student’s entire experience—and create memories your family will never forget.

04/27/2026

🌍✨ Find your international son or daughter today.

We still have amazing students hoping for host families for the upcoming school year — and their dreams can begin with you.

Past OCEAN students have shared how their exchange year gave them a second family, lifelong friendships, confidence, and memories they will treasure forever.

💙 Sofía from Spain made friends in Washington and enjoyed baking, basketball games, movies, skiing, and fun outings.

💙 Mencía from Spain loved dances, birthday parties, sleepovers, volunteering, and holiday celebrations in Utah.

💙 Pablo from Spain enjoyed soccer, tennis, skiing, video games, and spending time with friends and his host family in Montana.

💙 Paula from Spain loved skiing, shopping, school clubs, and making many new friends in Montana.

💙 Guillermo from Spain enjoyed basketball games, team dinners, holidays, and time with friends and family in Montana.

💙 Tommaso from Italy loved football, rugby, travel, amusement parks, and Christmas with his host family.

💙 Nico from Spain said one of the best parts of his year was spending time with friends and his host family while attending games and community events.

These stories begin because one family said yes.

Hosting is not just offering a room. It is opening your heart, changing a life, and gaining an international son or daughter for life.

📘 View available students today: https://www.ocean-intl.org/view-available-students
🏡 Learn more about hosting: https://www.ocean-intl.org/learn-more-about-hosting

📞 Call or Text: (480) 297-9174
🌐 www.ocean-intl.org

04/26/2026

Hosting goes far beyond opening your front door — it is an investment in communities across the United States. At OCEAN, we have seen exchange students enrich classrooms, increase participation in local activities, and build meaningful connections that strengthen youth development and school partnerships nationwide.

Take Paul from France, who spent his exchange year in Vancouver, Washington. He became involved in tennis, badminton club, cooking club, and cultural clubs while building friendships and embracing American school spirit. He described his host family as “Great” and said they made him feel like part of the family.

Experiences like Paul’s show how hosting creates growth not only for students, but also for families, schools, and entire communities.

We welcome families, educators, and neighbors to join us in creating safe, life-changing experiences built on trust, gratitude, and community.

Learn how your home can make a real difference: https://wix.to/t66vnHH 🌍❤️🏫



Interested in hosting or partnering with local schools? Tell us in the comments or visit the link to get started.

We welcome families, educators, and neighbors to join us in creating safe, life-changing experiences built on trust, gratitude, and community.

Learn how your home can make a real difference: https://wix.to/t66vnHH 🌍❤️🏫



Interested in hosting or partnering with local schools? Tell us in the comments or visit the link to get started: https://www.ocean-intl.org/host-family-forms

04/25/2026

💙🇮🇹 From Italy to Pennsylvania — a year of family, friendship, growth, and unforgettable memories.

At OCEAN, we are privileged to witness life-changing stories every year, and the experience of Francesca from Italy and the Allen family in Windsor, Pennsylvania is a beautiful reminder of what international exchange is truly about.

When Francesca arrived in the United States, she came with excitement, courage, and hopes of experiencing American life. What she found with the Allen family was far more than a host placement—she found a true second home.

Francesca shared that her relationship with her host family became very close and warm, and that they made her feel at home from the very first day. She said they truly felt like her second family and welcomed her as one of their own.

One of the most beautiful parts of this experience was the lifelong relationships created along the way. Through shared everyday moments, laughter, support, traditions, and memories, Francesca gained not only an American host family—but lifelong connections that now feel like an American mother, father, sibling, extended family, and forever friends.

She described how the family included her in weekly Sunday traditions, holiday celebrations, and everyday family moments that made all the difference. Sometimes the most meaningful parts of exchange are not the big trips—but the small moments of belonging.

Throughout the year, Francesca and her host family created memories together through:

✨ Road trips to see famous landmarks
✨ Friday night high school football games
✨ Cooking meals together and sharing traditions
✨ Holiday decorating and celebrations
✨ Shopping trips, movies, bookstores, and ice skating
✨ Time spent laughing, talking, and simply enjoying family life together

One of the most special parts of their exchange was cultural sharing through food. Francesca introduced Italian recipes and traditions, while learning American customs in return. Her host mother described her as an “awesome student” and even said:

“This is my favorite experience yet.”

Francesca also embraced American school life at Red Lion Senior High School. She loved the school spirit, rallies, and Friday night games, explaining that it gave her a strong sense of belonging and community. She attended events regularly, made friends, and fully embraced the American high school experience.

Like many exchange students, Francesca faced moments of homesickness and adjustment. But with the kindness, patience, and support of her host family, she grew stronger, more confident, and finished her year feeling very happy and positive.

We would also like to give special thanks to our Pennsylvania Area Representative, Jaime Bowser, for her amazing work and ongoing support for both the family and Francesca throughout the year. Dedicated local coordinators like Jaime help make these successful experiences possible through guidance, care, and steady support every step of the way.

This is why OCEAN is passionate about what we do.

We do not simply place students in homes.

We help create:

💙 Second families
💙 Lifelong international friendships
💙 Cultural understanding
💙 Confidence and independence
💙 Memories that last forever

Thank you to Francesca for trusting OCEAN with your exchange experience and allowing us to be part of such an important chapter in your life.

Thank you to the Allen family for opening your home and hearts. Without host families like you, we simply could not do what we do.

Thank you to everyone who helped Francesca build lifelong relationships and feel at home in America.

Thank you to Jaime Bowser for your dedication and support.

Together, you are the reason cultural exchange changes lives.

🏡 Interested in hosting an exchange student and creating your own story?

🌐 www.ocean-intl.org
📞 (480) 297-9174