For many international students, the end of the school year comes with mixed emotions. Alongside the excitement of finishing studies or returning home is a less talked-about companion: the sadness of saying goodbye. Whether you’re leaving a place you’ve come to call “home away from home” or watching friends scatter across the globe, goodbyes are Read more…
Growing up in Korea, Easter felt like a rhythm I could always count on. It wasn’t just one Sunday — it was a whole week of services, songs, and anticipation. I remember how the church would fill with the scent of lilies, the choir singing a little louder, and the sound of my best friend Read more…
As an international student, I knew being away from home for extended periods would be difficult. But nothing quite prepared me for what it would feel like to return home to São Paulo, Brazil, after four years of living in the States. The excitement of seeing my family, eating my favorite foods, and walking familiar Read more…
Growing up as both Japanese and Brazilian, I have always felt like I belonged everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The uniqueness of my heritage often sparked curiosity, but it also invited uncomfortable questions. “Where are you really from?” “Do you feel more Brazilian or Japanese?” These questions, though often well-meaning, left me feeling Read more…
Hey, IFI friends! 🤗 We hope you’re settling down this holiday season and getting ready for the new year. To wrap up 2024 (pun intended), we brought a heartfelt, reflective article from one of our beloved IFI staff members, Mary Kim! Mary works as the Ministry Coordinator at IFI NYC and has a beautiful, multicultural Read more…
“Never say goodbye,” said J.M. Barrie in his book Peter Pan, “because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” But the truth is, we’ll all have to say goodbye during our lives. Some of you might be getting ready to say goodbye right now. If you’ve finished your studies, you might be preparing Read more…
The US is a melting pot of different cultures. I assume that, like me, you want to interact and be friends with people from other cultures, but you have no idea how to start a conversation with them. That’s why “Country Curiosities” was created– to help you get an idea of peoples’ cultures and help Read more…
You’ve probably been asked by now: What’s your New Year’s resolution? I know I have. 🙋♀️ But what is a “New Year’s resolution” anyway? A New Year’s resolution is a tradition where individuals set goals, intentions, or commitments to make positive changes or improvements in their lives starting at the beginning of the new year. Read more…
Hello, friends! I’m here today with another Biblical reflection. You ready? Before starting, I’ll give you an overview of how this reflection came about. Last November, my husband and I had our first child, precious Benjamin. Our lives completely changed with his arrival. We had to protect and care for him, making sure all his Read more…
Recently, I shared in an IFI Bible discussion group that my husband and I got a larger apartment and that we were moving in a week. I said I was happy because there was still time to organize the baby’s room for his arrival. Our friend said, “God has been good to you. Since the Read more…