“The more we learn to know students from other countries, the more we see that we are all alike.”

Being on an exchange is a fantastic and unique opportunity. I have two daughters, both of whom enjoyed their experiences immensely. They are also both having an ongoing strong friendship with their exchange students. I believe travel is essential to a complete all-rounded education as well as providing a real life experience. Travelling abroad teaches you tolerance, understanding different culture, priorities and gives us a better ability to be successful in today’s society.

The best part about an exchange program is living with friends and learning about everyday life. I also really enjoyed the day trips and learning about other peoples’ communities. There is just so much to see and do. So many great new friends to meet. I especially love trying new food and the exciting sightseeing tours.

What other program allows students from all over the world to experience home life and schooling in a foreign country at 10-12 years of age? ISSE is absolutely amazing in how it breaks down the cultural and religious barriers and opens the door for lifelong friendships. ISSE is creating tomorrow’s open-minded adults.

If I were to choose a single word to describe my overall experience it would probably be ‘intense’, because the wonderful sights, sounds, smells and human interactions came so thick and fast.

My name is Karla. The trip to Australia was one of the best experiences I have had. I had a lot of fun. I met a lot of wonderful people and friends. I went to a lot of places there. My Australian family was very friendly to me. They really took care of me .They also took me to the beach and to many other places. I had a lot of fun with them. “It was fantastic”

The ISSE program is an adventurous project and a certain amount of trust is necessary for the parents involved – the bridge of communication helped us feel we were sending our child off to ‘friends’ rather than the unknown.

I would always highly recommend the ISSE program for anyone with an open mind and who is not afraid of trying different food. Such experiences allow students to learn how to accept and learn about different people and their cultures and traditions. You will never regret going ahead with this experience of a lifetime.

Through ISSE I was able to meet new people, see amazing places, learn about another culture, learn more about the history of America and try new foods. ISSE was great!

The children were fantastic and they really matured from their Indian experience. ISSE has opened their eyes and they now see the world in a very different way.

I loved going to Australia for three weeks. I had the best time, and I think everyone should be able to participate in ISSE. I love the way the program is set up, because you aren’t staying in a hotel, but with a family. I learned that I could try a lot of new things. ISSE rocks!

During their stay the group treated us to a wonderful cultural presentation. It was interesting to learn that even though our cultures are quite similar, there are also many differences.

Bluebells was very welcoming and I had many new experiences. I enjoyed India very much, it was the best!!!

As parents, we could not be more thrilled with the ISSE program. Students engaged in leadership activities and prepared all year for the trip. By staying with families, attending school, and going on field trips, the kids were thoroughly immersed in a cultural and educational experience. They came back more confident and knowledgeable about the world. We would be happy to send our kids to any of the host countries with ISSE!

I had a fantastic time and will remember it for the rest of my life. Everyone should do ISSE!

My name is Mariana.One of my best experiences is when I went to Australia. I Iearned a lot of things. My family from Australia just treated me wonderfully, they took me to many places and I had a lot of fun with them. At Regency Park School I learned about their culture and the way they are. “It was great”

Our family’s ISSE experience has been enriching and memorable. It wasinteresting and fun to learn and appreciate another culture and values through the eyes of a child. Our visitor child was polite, matured and well-mannered. He was a great ambassador! We enjoyed our time spent together, especially the fun activities organised by the school. Our children enjoyed having another “brother” at home too. The 2 weeks flew by quickly and we wished we had more time together. We treasure this new friendship and the fond memories we shared together.

It brought parents, children and teachers together providing an enriched atmosphere and sharing. Programmed activities give drive, enthusiasm and a school focus for all. The promotion of goodwill and friendship – memories that will survive time.

It was an amazing experience to go to El Salvador and live in a whole different culture and lifestyle. It is definitely something I will never forget.

What an incredible experience it was being a host family. We enjoyed learning about all the similarities and differences in our cultures and ways of life. The ISSE experience gave us the opportunity as a family to share our wonderful city with a child from another country and in turn, we heard some amazing stories about their home and city in Colorado. Being a part of this program and spending time with other host families was also very rewarding. On many of our group outings there was always a lot of laughter and good times and, we enjoyed each other’s company immensely. It has now been more than a month since Abby left her ‘second home’ and we still keep in contact via MSN and Skype. I know my daughter Emily thoroughly enjoyed having Abby stay with us as; she quite effortlessly and quickly became a member of our family. We hope this bond will remain for many years to come and hopefully, she took home some wonderful memories of Australia and the time she spent here.