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 …

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 …

Letting Go: One Mom’s Perspective

I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable. This had been the plan since they were born, right? I knew they needed to live away from home to succeed, to fail, and to trust themselves in a safe environment. So why was this so difficult? Plain and simple, I loved the young adults my kids …

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? …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

International Family Orientation | Honduras Connections

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 …