Growing up in a small, rural town east of Kalamazoo, Mich., I always felt known in school. From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to go to college and continue my learning journey. However, I had no clue where to start when it came to applying for colleges. As a first-generation college …
Author Archives: Blogs Administrator
Meet the Webb Family
I remember the day well back in fall 2020. The Hope College Men’s Golf coach, Scott Lokers, called our son Will to see if he was still interested in playing golf for Hope. Will looked at me and I said, “Tell him yes!” Would it be OK if he came to watch Will’s final high …
From Uncertainty to Confidence: The Journey of a Hope College Junior
Sometimes it feels like freshman year we are dropped off to college and left stranded to figure it all out. There is a sensory overload of new things to see, do, learn and experience. Everything is brand new, from the food at the dining hall to figuring out a future career. If this isn’t the …
Continue reading “From Uncertainty to Confidence: The Journey of a Hope College Junior”
Meet the Moore Family
I once heard that the goal of a parent is to work yourself out of a job. While we will always be parents and they will always be our children, it is natural and right for our kids to gain independence so we are not needed in the same way we once were. At the …
The First Semester
We’ve all heard the term “helicopter parent,” and none of us want to think we are one but sometimes our well-intentioned advice or involvement can prevent kids from problem-solving. After all, raising good, kind, and self-sufficient humans is what we signed up for, right? Here are some helpful tips and tricks that we try to …
Helping Third Culture Kids and Their Families Belong
When growing up with multiple cultural influences, the seemingly simple question—Where are you from?—becomes complicated. If your passport country is the United States, but you have never lived there, do you feel American? Or, if your passport is from the United States but you’ve lived most of your life in Thailand, do you feel Thai? …
Continue reading “Helping Third Culture Kids and Their Families Belong”
Cushioning Culture Shock Through International Family Orientation
As someone who has lived and worked in countries outside of the U.S., I have firsthand knowledge of what culture shock can feel like. It’s difficult to understand unless you’ve experienced it. Culture shock is defined as “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life …
Continue reading “Cushioning Culture Shock Through International Family Orientation”
International Connections – Expanding Worldviews and Creating Lifelong Memories
When I think of International Family Orientation (IFO), my face lights up. I have the joy of meeting people from all over the world and helping them set their child up for success in America. This unique orientation eases the transition for the families of third culture kids (TCKs) — those who assume a mixed …
Continue reading “International Connections – Expanding Worldviews and Creating Lifelong Memories”
International Family Orientation and Hockey Connections
An idea hatched by parents from Sweden during an orientation outing scored big with the Flying Dutchmen’s hockey team, resulting in an international trip and several national championships. Parents Krister and Christina Werner of Sweden joined many other families during Hope’s International Family Orientation (IFO)—a program that addresses the special needs of third culture and …
Continue reading “International Family Orientation and Hockey Connections”
International Family Orientation | New Connections for Hope College Students and Families
A casual boat ride on Lake Michigan during International Family Orientation stirred up a tidal wave of connections for Hope College students. Dann and Que-Lan Engels, who have close ties as Hope parents, extended hospitality to international families during orientation by inviting them for a ride on their boat to explore Lake Macatawa and take …