Blog Posts for Volunteers

Honest tips and insights about serving International students

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Guided by Friendship, Grounded in Faith
Guided by Friendship, Grounded in Faith
July 9, 2025

When Zac arrived in the U.S. in 2022 to pursue a marketing degree, he was immediately overwhelmed. Coming from England, he was struck by how vast everything seemed and how far apart places were. 

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Quality Over Quantity
June 5, 2025

It all started when Henri and his wife Marguerite heard about IFI through connections at their congregation in Columbus. “This couple was picking up people from around the world,” Henri said. “We got interested because we thought what a good thing for our kids to be exposed to the nations like that!” 

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From 1 Student to 50: God’s Faithfulness in Lancaster
From 1 Student to 50: God’s Faithfulness in Lancaster
May 2, 2025

It can be scary to establish an IFI location from scratch. “Where does one even begin?” 

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Podcast Episodes

Check out our podcast The World at Home to hear real stories of International students finding community

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The World at Home Ep 3: Cross-Cultural Friendships

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you put two natural introverts on a podcast? For Episode 3 of The World at Home podcast we interview Sonia, a college student from Indonesia, who shares how she has learned to grow cross-cultural friendships in the US. Naturally an introvert, Sonia has had to grow her confidence to go outside of her comfort zone- to make others feel more at home, just like others did for her.

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The World at Home Ep. 2: To Say Goodbye

Episode 2 of The World at Home podcast we interview IFI Staff member and former international student from Rwanda, Viviane about her experiences with saying goodbye and grief.

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The World at Home Ep. 1: A Great Return

Welcome to The World At Home, a podcast where we will explore the incredible journeys of international students who’ve come to the U.S. to study, learn, and grow. In each episode, we’ll hear first hand stories from people who have left their home countries to the United States, now navigating new academic and/or professional, cultural, and personal landscapes.In this Episode we interview Carol from Brazil on her experience visiting home after many years.

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