Ep 5. Foreign Exchange

The Middle season 2 episode 5, titled "Foreign Exchange," follows the Heck family as they participate in an international student exchange program. Sue is extremely excited about the opportunity and eagerly awaits the arrival of her new Japanese sister, Kumiko. However, when Kumiko arrives, Sue realizes that their cultural differences may prove to be difficult to overcome.

Meanwhile, Brick is less than thrilled about the exchange program and doesn't want to share his room with the visiting student. However, once his Spanish "brother" arrives, Brick becomes enamored with the culture and the language.

Frankie, in an attempt to connect with the Japanese exchange student, decides to host a sushi night, but things quickly go awry when she realizes that she doesn't know how to cook sushi. Mike, on the other hand, is excited to attend the International Parent Night at the school, but quickly realizes that he is the only parent who hasn't made an effort to learn a foreign language.

As the episode progresses, the Heck family faces a multitude of challenges as they try to navigate the international exchange program. From language barriers to cultural differences, the family learns valuable lessons about acceptance and empathy. In the end, they all come to appreciate and learn from the experience, and even come to love and cherish their new extended family members.

Overall, "Foreign Exchange" is a heartwarming and funny episode that showcases the intercultural experiences that can arise when participating in international exchange programs. The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting different cultures, and beautifully showcases the struggles and rewards of cross-cultural communication.