Meet Our Students

Hannah is a thoughtful, motivated student from Taiwan who brings a wonderful balance of responsibility, creativity, and warmth. As president of her Applied English Student Association, she’s already shown strong leadership and the ability to manage events and handle pressure with maturity. Outside of school, she stays active through boxing and handstand training and loves cooking everything from traditional Taiwanese dishes to pasta, steak, and curry. She’s also a big fan of musicals—both live and on screen—which she enjoys sharing and discussing with others. Hannah describes herself as 40% outgoing and 60% introverted: she loves exploring with her host family but also respects quiet time to recharge. She adores animals, enjoys trying new things, and is working hard to strengthen her English before arrival. Ready to step out of her comfort zone, she hopes to become a true part of a family’s daily life. Families looking for a capable, kind, and culturally curious student won’t want to miss the chance to host Hannah.

Meet Maïwenn from France with Italian roots who comes from a close, lively family. Growing up in a rural area, she has learned the value of connection, adaptability, and shared moments—whether cooking together, celebrating holidays, or simply spending time with loved ones. At home, she’s especially devoted to her cat, Raven, who she lovingly cares for and considers a true member of the family. Maïwenn is excited to experience everyday American life: attending school, joining in family routines, celebrating holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, and discovering what makes life in the U.S. unique. She hopes to become fluent in English, build meaningful friendships, and form a strong bond with her host family. Curious, cheerful, and thoughtful, Maïwenn is eager to fully immerse herself, share her culture, and return home enriched by the relationships and experiences she gains.

Arianna from Italy lives with her family, which includes her mom, dad, brother, and their beloved dog, Lola, an Australian Shepherd, she loves animals. Her little brother is her favorite person. She describes herself as a funny girl, who loves talking, making new friendships and new experiences. Arianna has a deep passion for cooking, particularly when it comes to baking cookies. Her other interests include theatre, bicycling, listening to pop music, traveling and exploring new places and watching movies (her favorite genre is horror). Ari loves children and has worked as an entertainer at a summer camp for the past two years. She has also tried various sports, including dance, swimming, basketball, tennis, and gymnastics, with tennis being her favorite, she played for six years. After high school, Arianna dreams of becoming an au pair in the United States. She chose to participate in an exchange program to share Italian culture with her American family and community by cooking traditional dishes. Additionally, she aims to become more independent and improve her English skills. Although she is uncertain about her future, Arianna knows she loves working with children and envisions a career as a teacher. That's all from Italy for now, looking forward to meeting you!

First, I would like to thank you for taking into consideration to let me be a part of your family! I live in a small town where we have many different things to do. My favorite subjects in school are German and religious education. I love to write and reflect on my life in an emotional way. In the USA, I would love to take a creative writing class, film production, or psychology! When I grow up I would love to become a therapist and support people's mental wellness. In my free time, I enjoy gymnastics and playing the piano. My favorite piece to play on the piano is "My Heart Will Go On" from the Titanic! I also love to bake, and my specialty is chocolate chip cookies! I would love to show you how to cook German specialties. While I don't eat meat, I don't mind being around people or family that do! I can't wait to experience popular high schools things like prom, and football games during my exchange year! I also cannot wait to experience my first Thanksgiving. I hope I could give you a little insight into my life and you got to know me a bit better, I am already looking forward to finally get to know you!

Angelina is a warm, enthusiastic girl from the Southwest of France who would be a wonderful addition to any host family. She’s positive, open‑minded, and genuinely loves connecting with people. As an only child, she’s both independent and very appreciative of family life. She’s respectful, responsible, and adapts easily to new routines. She loves animals, enjoys an active lifestyle, and is excited to share French cooking—tarts, gratin dauphinois, Basque talo, and more. Her experience in Model United Nations shows her curiosity about the world and her maturity. She dreams of becoming a lawyer and sees this exchange year as an essential step toward her future. Angelina can’t wait to experience American school life, join activities (cheerleading is her dream), and celebrate traditions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hosting her means welcoming a joyful, motivated young woman who will truly become part of your family.

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.

Maelis is a student from Italy who brings warmth, positivity, and a strong sense of family into everything she does. She grew up in a loving, supportive family and truly values connection, kindness, and creating meaningful relationships. Maelis is active and enjoys beach volleyball, hiking, and being outdoors, but she also appreciates simple moments like cooking, walking, and spending time together at home. She attends a language-focused high school where she studies English, French, and Spanish, and she is fluent in French thanks to her multicultural background; she also won an Italian government scholarship. Maelis loves cooking traditional Italian meals and would be excited to share her culture with her host family. She is affectionate, responsible, and a great listener, with experience caring for younger children. Independent and adaptable, Maelis is excited to experience American life, become part of a host family, and create lasting memories together.

Meet Emma, she is a bright student from France. She is looking forward to living with her American family and going to an American school. She lives with her parents and two cats; her sister doesn’t live at home but does come home for the weekends. “I would describe myself as a curious, creative, and caring person. My friends often say that I am a good listener and that I try to see the positive side of situations”. One of the biggest parts of her life is dancing. She has been dancing since she was 3. She also helps as an assistant in groups of young dancers. Books also play an important role in my daily life along with music. Emma enjoys traveling and learning new languages. She is currently learning Korean and Russian. Her favorite subjects at school Cinema, History, French and Philosophy. In the future, she would like to work in criminal behavior analysis.

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

“Living with a host family is something I eagerly anticipate, as I believe it will deepen my understanding of American culture and daily life in a meaningful way.” Ethan, a scholarship student from Taiwan, is excited to spend his study abroad year in the U.S. and to become a part of your family. He looks forward to the diversity of America. English is one of his favorite subjects, and he hopes to improve his language skills while in America. He is active at school, participating in the drawing club and being a member in the high school band. His favorite instrument to play is the guitar. He has a passion for drawing and art, as well as outdoor activities. He enjoys badminton with his friends. Ethan is working on his swimming skills and enjoys being near water. While he doesn't have any pets at home, he loves animals. Perhaps a trip to the zoo and an aquarium awaits Ethan! “I will do my best to be respectful, helpful, and a positive member of your family during my stay.”