Meet Our Students

Meet Lina, a semester student from Germany. Lina is close with her mother, father, adult sister and younger sister.  Family is very important to Lina. She has monthly dates with her mom when they make time to do things together such as laser tag or hiking. Lina also loves her dog Buddy, whom she is responsible for taking care of.  She describes herself as an independent, open-minded person who likes challenging herself and stepping outside of her comfort zone.  She considers herself a perfectionist when it comes to her grades and personal goals. She spends her free time with a large friend group; however, she has a best friend who is very important to her. She loves cooking. She enjoys watching movies and her favorite genres are romance and horror.   Lina plays tennis and does yoga. She plays the piano and going to concerts. Lina writes, “Thank you very much for considering hosting me and for opening your home to an exchange student. I would be very grateful to become part of your family and share this special experience together.” 

Marcos is a cheerful happy person that loves to make others laugh. He is from a small town in Spain and is the youngest with three siblings. All of Marco’s siblings were also exchange students to the United States. He is a mature and well-mannered young man that loves to be outside and has a black belt in martial arts. Marcos loves to cook and play the piano. He is now learning to play the trombone. Marcos likes helping others and sports such as golf and flag football. He balances his love of activity with his love of music and relaxes to recharge his batteries. He is excited about improving his English in America and living with a family that is engaged and has a close relationship. Marcos loves time with others and is looking for a loving family in the United States.

Bella is a kind and energetic student who is excited about the opportunity to become part of an American family. She comes from a close-knit home where sharing meals, conversations, and everyday moments together are an important part of life. Bella has spent many years training in rhythmic gymnastics, a sport that has taught her discipline, perseverance, and strong time-management skills. She also enjoys dance and staying active, and loves the teamwork and excitement that comes with sports. Bella values kindness, respect, and communication, and she looks forward to experiencing American school life, joining activities, and learning about new family traditions. She is also excited to share her culture and create meaningful memories with her host family. Bella says, “I hope to become a real part of your family and share many happy everyday moments together.”

Anna is excited about the opportunity to spend a school year in the United States and become part of an American family. She is eager to experience everyday life, traditions, and holidays while attending an American high school. She looks forward to school spirit, football games, dances, and joining clubs or activities where she can meet new friends and improve her English. In her free time, she enjoys cheerleading, which allows her to stay active and spend time with friends. She also loves baking and often makes treats for her family and friends. Music is an important part of her life and she enjoys listening to it while baking, crafting, or relaxing at home. She values spending time with loved ones, especially her sister, and enjoys simple activities like going to the movies, shopping, or taking walks together. She also loves animals and will miss her sweet dog, Crumble.

Cooper is a thoughtful, respectful, and open-minded student from Thailand who is excited about the opportunity to live with a host family in the United States. Growing up in a Thai-international school environment has helped him become adaptable, communicative, and comfortable with people from many different backgrounds, and his previous experience living abroad with a host family in Brisbane, Australia, gave him even more confidence, independence, and ease in adjusting to new environments. His main goal as an exchange student is to improve his English, experience American school and family life, and continue growing through cultural exchange. Sports are a major part of his life, especially basketball, which is one of his greatest passions. He is a member of his school basketball team, was selected as a GBAC All Star, and has also trained in New York, where he was inspired by American basketball culture and coaching. In addition to basketball, he has experience in ice hockey, skiing, badminton, and golf, showing that he enjoys staying active and trying new things. Outside of sports, he enjoys music, is learning to play the guitar, likes watching movies, and occasionally plays video games. Easygoing and not a picky eater, Cooper would bring a positive attitude, a strong sense of responsibility, and genuine excitement to a host family while creating meaningful memories through the exchange experience.

Meet Lilou, from France who lives with her parents, two brothers, and her beloved dog and cat. She has a deep affection for all kinds of animals. Describing herself as energetic, enthusiastic, social, sensitive, and curious, Lilou is thrilled about her upcoming exchange program in the United States. While she enjoys various sports, volleyball is her favorite, and she is an active member of her volleyball club. She appreciates the teamwork and trust that volleyball fosters, saying, “Volleyball has taught me to encourage others, handle pressure, and persevere even when things don’t go perfectly.” In addition to sports, Lilou interests include cinema, creating day vlogs, fashion, playing board games, visiting zoos, ice skating, and camping. She loves embracing new experiences, and bonfires with s'mores would be a great experience for her. Having already participated in a French film, her aspiration is to become an actress and engage in film productions. Lilou is excited to share her culture with you and is eager to assist in the kitchen. “I believe that I can bring a lot of energy, positivity, and joy to your family.”

More to follow...

Meet Fanny from France!  Fanny is extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to spend an exchange year in the U.S. It is one of her “biggest dreams” and she has been focused on making it happen since she was young. Spending an exchange year in the U.S. is what has motivated her to study English. Fanny explains that she is extremely grateful for her friends and family and values those relationships highly. Her friends describe her as someone who is very kind, thoughtful, funny, emotional and reliable.  One of her other dreams- going to an American football game and rooting for her team!    She also loves all animals especially her cats Bambou and Ficelle with whom she shares a deep connection.  Fanny loves to do crafts and dance (she is currently on a dance team). She also enjoys the self-discipline she gets from pushing herself at the gym and often clears her head by going for a run. She also enjoys all genres of music.  Baking is also one of Fanny’s hobbies, her specialty is cinnamon rolls because she loves the smell. Fanny is overflowing with energy and excitement; she is more than ready to make the most of her exchange year here in the US. 

To learn more about me, please see my Dear Host Family Letter!

Zilola is a creative fun-loving student that lives in a large city in Uzbekistan. She has a large extended family of cousins, and her grandmother is next door, so they spend a lot of time together over meals. Zilola loves to cook and wants to share this love with her American family. Zilola is part of an American English support class and helps others with the language. She is excited to practice her English in the U.S. and wants to learn the culture, while sharing hers. Zilola has tried many sports (water polo, karate, taekwondo, swimming, and dancing) and wants to stay healthy and fit during her exchange program, by trying new things. She considers herself an orderly and neat student, so she will always keep her room clean and loves to help around the house, when possible.