I cannot recommend this agency for hosting exchange students. I signed up to be a welcome family…read morefor the 2024 year, and was informed by the regional manager that he would be with us for 4-6 weeks before moving to his permanent host parents. However, he stayed with us from August 25th, 2024, to February 2nd, 2025, which was the first of many misleading statements made by the agency. I was told that the student I would be hosting had already been accepted into the local high school, but I soon found out that accepted and enrolled are not the same thing. The coordinator I spoke with initially was not aware of this distinction, and I was left to navigate the school district's enrollment process on my own. The agency charges a significant amount of money to the parents of the exchange student. You would assume there would be more support but there was very little support provided during the enrollment process. Once the student arrived, it took about two weeks to get him into his classes. I was referred to the local area coordinator, who informed me that the agency had lied about previously placing students at the specific high school near my home. The school is known to be average, but the students are typically not motivated. I was not made aware of this fact, and my biggest concern was placing a student at that school. Unfortunately, we had to move the student because he was so unhappy in his school. At the start of my host parenting journey, the local coordinator and I got along well. However, this changed in early October when the monthly home visits stopped, and communication became scarce. I was told that home visits were required monthly by state regulation, but the last visit in November was just the coordinator picking up the student for an event and dropping him off. There were no home visits in December or January. Another issue we had was the inaccuracy of the student's application. Based on the application, we thought we would have a lot in common. However, as we got to know our student, we found that he had misrepresented himself and put things that made him sound appealing to a host family. His hobbies included watching movies and photography, but in fact, he hated movies and did not like photography. He was also allergic to dogs, which I made clear on my application as I have four dogs. The regional manager called me and spoke to me about these issues, including the fact that the student did not seem interested in going on outings with us. She apologized and said that our student was a "potato" because he was so boring. I was shocked that anyone would speak about a child in their care in such a way. It seems that this organization does not care about the students and passes the blame game to everyone else. There were several times I had to ask for status updates on the student's new home, and when a new home was finally found, we were told not to say anything to him about moving. He was only informed on Thursday night that he was moving on Sunday. He didn't even have the opportunity to say goodbye to some of his friends and teachers. It broke my heart, as I had grown attached to him and tried to make him a part of our family. We still speak every week to this day, and I am glad to have met and hosted such a wonderful young man. In conclusion, I cannot recommend this agency for hosting exchange students. The lack of support, misleading statements, and inaccurate applications are unacceptable. Additionally, the way the organization speaks about the students in their care is concerning. I hope that other families considering hosting an exchange student will consider this review and choose a more reliable and supportive agency.

My husband and I have hosted twice and both experiences were wonderful, impactful and…read morelife-changing. Whenever we needed support, we got it! ETC staff and local reps were professional, helpful and loved their work. If I ever have a chance to host again, I would run straight to ETC to find a student. They are great at what they do!

Orchestra L'Pow is a five piece band that backs some of the best burlesque talent in Seattle, WA…read moreand Portland, OR. The music is tight, these guys have clearly been playing together for a long time, the performers are top notch and the venues they play add to the experience. I've seen them at The Triple Door and The Can Can (both inSeattle). This is more traditional burlesque but the Halloween show (at 8pm at The Can Can) will be halloween themed. If you like burlesque, check these guys out!

BEST SHOW IN TOWN!…read more Orchestra L 'Pow is AMAZING! The dancers are great, and the live band brings another dimension of entertainment. In fact, I would buy tickets just to hear the band play! If you only see one burlesque show in Portland, make sure it's Orchestra L 'Pow

We love Nicole at RMC. she started teaching my daughter ukelele about 9 months ago and it's…read moreincredible to see her confidence and musical ability advance. She's 7 and can play and sing quite a few top hits. We've also added a friend to the lesson in our home and this is working out fantastic. So not hesitate to hire RMC. The two recitals are pretty adorable as well and give your child a way to show off their skills and get some confidence on a stage. Only if they want to!!

absolutely the best Christmas concert of the season. Very interactive for children and adults.read more

A nice enough event tonight at Keller Auditorium. Impressive vocals, especially the woman who…read moreportrayed the Virgin Mary. Performance was well-coordinated, sound was excellent. A couple of takeaways: One for the schmaltzy Santa routine between "Fred" and Santa during the first act. Do away with that and you wouldn't have lost anything. And second, there was a glaring lack of diversity in the performers. This even included the "guest" group from St. Mary's. I'm not the only one in my group who noticed this. An odd exclusion from a group rooted in a city which supposedly prides itself on it's attempts to promote diversity.

We visited a beautifully curated exhibition celebrating Oregon author, poet, and artist Ursula K…read more Le Guin, and it was an absolute delight. The exhibit thoughtfully showcased pieces from her early years, detailed maps of her sci-fi worlds, her actual typewriter, video footage from a Q&A session, and artwork inspired by her writing. One of the most memorable features was a giant "tree" display filled with her books where visitors could actually sit down and read -- such a creative and inviting touch. Admission was free, with donations accepted, which makes this an easy and worthwhile stop for anyone even remotely interested in literature, art, or science fiction. The space itself is stunning and clearly designed with art exhibitions in mind. The location is also convenient -- just down the road is Denver Ave with several restaurants if you want to grab a bite before or after your visit. Parking is limited, but there is some street parking available nearby. They also have a small gift shop, gender-neutral restrooms, and very friendly staff who made the experience even more welcoming. Overall, a thoughtfully designed and inspiring exhibit in a lovely space. Highly recommended.

To wrap up the final week of my critical art theories class at Portland State, I visited the…read moreBiennial to connect the ideas explored this past Spring. As I enter, the first thing I see are three questions in red: What was the price our ancestors paid to call this nation home? What did they sacrifice for the American dream? What was promised to them for their blood, sweat, and tears? As I abstracted my time with DeepTime Collective's wall of many clocks, I walked along various artworks that caught my eye. Gabby Severson, Jaleesa Johnston, and Ebony Frison were a few of my favorite artists from this show. The artworks are powerful and imposing. They catch you and keep you in. The artists speak from places of nostalgia, memory and lived experience. However, I couldn't help to think that the works respond to questions that have already been in conversation for a while. 250 years, who doesn't know what the price is? And so, as Bayo Akomolafe has asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, to whom would this matter to? This certainly is nothing new for marginalized folks who live with those questions everyday, whose ancestral histories on this stolen land is defined by sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears. From struggle to preservation to perseverance, the artworks are analyzed by folks who beg for answers to questions they created.

I haven't been into a dance class in about 10 years but I used to go to Vega and was a collegiate…read moredancer before that and let me tell you the experience I had at Vega was so great! Everyone is so supportive and lovely and the studio looks incredible. I highly recommend they have so many different types of classes for everyone. I love that it's an adult setting. And they have air-conditioning! Yay!

I have tried many classes so far and the teachers I liked the best are Nikki, Jeanine, Evie and…read moreTara. I am basically an absolute beginner and I found their classes easier to keep up with. If you are a beginner I would suggest a class that is labeled more workout than choreo because they do choreography in all I have been to. The owners are very nice people and the people who go there are also nice and approachable.

Special guest stars and special performances are what draw me in. I love the Oregon Symphony but…read morehaven't been since pre-COVID. I was thrilled to learn that Avi Avital the maestro of the mandolin would be joining the symphony for a special performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. The guest conductor that night was also incredible. Grammy Award winner Jeannette Sorrell kept us spellbound as she introduced each movement of Vivaldi's four seasons with a brief, brilliant and clever overview explaining the meaning behind the movement. As we were treated to mandolin solos the orchestra was phenomenal. Meanwhile Ms. Sorrell accompanied the orchestra on the harpsichord. An instrument in which she holds worldwide acclaim. I sat rapt during The Four Seasons. It was imaginative and beautiful. I was truly swept away to the Italian countryside. At intermission they stopped serving warm cookies. That was disappointing. As was my neighbor to my left. A family brought their 5 year old son who had bad manners. He repeatedly kicked the seat in front of him and the parents did nothing. Please do not bring children under 10 years old to the symphony. Better yet just get a babysitter. After the intermission the full orchestra was assembled for Mozart's Symphony No. 35, "Haffner." Sorrell and the orchestra did a superb performance. The conductor is quite the sight with a head of long, curly, bright red hair that she flips around. We were treated to a pre-symphony interview with the Symphony's program annotator and the mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital. For about a half an hour he answered questions about his life and how he fell in love with the mandolin. That night was so special. What a treat. Looking forward to seeing what they do next. 2026 - Review # 9

Our cultural commitments tend to fluctuate, so it turned out that we hadn't been to the Symphony…read morefor a while. But lately, we've been attending on a more regular basis. I'm happy to report that they seem more robust than ever. At a couple of recent concerts, they had a conversation with the conductor, starting an hour before the performance, and then a visiting group (frequently a high school or community classical ensemble) playing a half hour before starting time, in the mezzanine level of the lobby. The main performances are varied, and surprisingly numerous. They have the standard classical warhorses, movies shown with symphony accompaniment, pops programs, visiting soloists, visiting bands, visiting conductors. The sheer volume of rotating programming really makes me appreciate the professionalism of the orchestra itself. They must be in a constant state of preparation for multiple upcoming shows. They have something for everyone.

Amazing organization doing really wonderful things around the world. Find your purpose. Go on a…read moremission trip with FEI