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”
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”
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”
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 …
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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 …
Families from Honduras who met during Hope’s International Family Orientation (IFO) have turned into some of the most prolific recruiters. Before classes begin each fall, Hope offers IFO, a unique program for families of third culture kids and international students to support them while their freshmen get settled on campus. “They are sending their students …
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It’s hard to believe that Spring Semester 2024 is almost in the books! As members of the Family Advisory Council, we wanted to share a quick note. Our youngest, Kristian, is finishing his freshman year while our oldest, Erik, graduated in 2021 and is finishing a PhD. in geology. Erik just married a fellow alum, …
As parents, watching our college-aged children struggle to find friends can be heart-wrenching. We want nothing more than for them to thrive socially, as well as academically. For each of our Hope students, freshman year, first semester was a real struggle. Looking back, that shouldn’t have come as a surprise. During our son’s first year, …
Our collective story of Hope is a circuitous one, full of rivalry, partnership and unexpected joy. Where to start? Growing up I (Peter) always had one foot on either side of the Calvin/Hope divide. My parents, Pat and Arie Knoester are both Calvin graduates yet my uncle, Tom Davelaar, has held down the Hope bench in epic …
You mean there is a college in the land of salt-free water, blueberries and cherries, long days and beautiful sunsets, endless sand dunes AND with a lack of stifling humidity? Never mind the snowy long winters and that dreaded “drive around the lake,” we want our daughter to go THERE! Hope College, here comes Camille, …
