Meet Our Students

Tihalina from France, writes “I want to discover the world not through books or screens, but through smiles, meetings, and everyday gestures.”  She and her family have adopted goats who they refer to as the “Queens of the garden”.  Besides loving her four-legged family members, she enjoys a close-knit home life with her two brothers and dad. She describes herself as independent and enthusiastic.  She has a wide range of interests including music, reading, photography and scouting which she enjoys due the respect for nature and teamwork that it fosters.  She is also very involved in sports and physical activity such as tennis, basketball, ping pong, track, dance, and roller skating.  She is also very dedicated to the philosophy of cultural exchange. She is extremely focused on bringing unique cultural experiences to the table-literally- she loves to cook crepes, kouign-amman and her family’s special recipe from the Southwest of France,  canelés Bordelais.  Tihalina also wants to learn about and take part in such American traditions as Thanksgiving.  Please consider opening your home to a student who is full of appreciation of other cultures and wishes to learn all she can as well as share the uniqueness of her own with you. 

Félicien is a motivated and sociable student who grew up in Belgium and now lives in France near the Swiss and German borders, giving him a strong appreciation for different cultures. A passionate basketball player for 14 years, he also referees games and coaches younger players, which has helped him develop leadership, patience, and responsibility. Félicien enjoys staying active, spending time with friends and family, and trying new experiences, including water skiing in the summer. Excited to experience American culture, he looks forward to becoming part of a host family while sharing his European background and love of sports.

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.”

Meet Adelaide from France where she lives with her father, mother, and younger brother, and their family bond is very strong, playing a “huge part” in her life. She describes herself as joyful, funny, and smart, though she can be a bit reserved when tired, responsible and somewhat competitive, Adelaide has a wide range of interests including: Tennis, Running, Dancing, Music, Singing, Pilates and going to the gym. Currently, she attends a boarding school with approximately 700 students. During her stay in the United States, she hopes to join a choir and the dance team. In her free time, she enjoys reading detective novels and watching detective and medical series. She has explored India and aspires to find a future career that allows her to uncover new places and have unique experiences. “So, to start these dreams, I want to start with the United States, because it’s iconic and full of diversity”.

Meet Luana who is from an Italian city bursting with history and postcard-perfect scenes. Italian born and Peruvian at heart, she shares her lively home with her mom, stepdad, two sisters, her rabbit, and a hamster named Taco. Luana describes herself as active, cheerful, curious and positive, a bit shy at first, then she becomes very sociable. She is a very responsible and reliable person. Luana loves hanging out with friends but also treasures her quiet moments. She enjoys going to the gym and having a healthy lifestyle. She has played volleyball for 2 years, she enjoys being part of a team. Her downtime she enjoys being with friends, music with happy vibes, and quality family time. She enjoys cooking especially desserts and lasagna is her favorite, and she also looks forward to making Peruvian dishes. At school, Law is her favorite subject. She keeps her room tidy “because I like living in an organized space and I work hard to do this every day”. She's got it all figured out—or at least seems like she does!

Alberto is a student from a small town in northwest Italy who attends a scientific high school with a sports focus. His program combines academics with sports-related studies, including economics and law of sports, and five hours of physical activity each week. He enjoys his classes, has a good relationship with his classmates, and likes spending time with friends after school. Alberto hopes to study in the United States because he is curious about new cultures, experiences, and sports. He sees this opportunity as a way to grow personally, improve his English, and become more independent. Having already completed a one-month exchange in France, he feels prepared to live away from home and embrace new challenges. Family is very important to Alberto. He lives with his parents, two brothers, and his dog, Frisky, an 8-year-old golden retriever. He loves animals and enjoys walking his dog, visiting his grandparents, traveling, hiking, and cooking with his family. Sports play a major role in Alberto’s life. He learned to ski at age three and enjoys skiing with his family and friends. He has played soccer and basketball and continues to go to the gym regularly. While in the U.S., he hopes to play basketball or soccer again or try new sports. Alberto is excited to learn about American culture, share his daily life with a host family, and build meaningful relationships during his exchange year.

Anna lives in Italy with her older brother and younger sister. She did gymnastics for years, but due to the stress on her body, she now helps coach young girls in gym and began snowboarding with her dad and siblings. She also loves to run. She is interested in trying out new sports in America, perhaps cheerleading, but also likes music and the arts. Anna likes the outdoors, but likes to spend time inside also, usually in the kitchen. Baking and making traditional Italian dishes are her passion. She loves to cook and bake and would love to help her new family learn new recipes also. She has responsibilities in her home in Italy and expects to have similar ones in her new home. Anna is excited to be part of a family and learn more about the American culture. She is excited about riding a school bus, decorating her locker and experiencing high school in America.

Meet Marly from Germany! She is always ready and prepared for her next adventure in life. Marly loves to find humor in situations and honesty is important to her. She is athletic and currently rides horses. She has been riding since she was very young. She used to own a horse and knows how to take care of them. When she is not riding horses, she plays tennis or at the gym working out. Marly just like her mom, loves kids. She babysits in her free time, hangs out with friends, and she loves going to her local soccer games. Marly has a family of 3 besides herself. Her mom, dad and older sister love to travel to other countries and learn new cultures. Both her mother and sister were exchange students in the USA. She has heard such good stories and even has met the host families of both her mom and her sister. Let’s help Marly continue the family tradition and follow her dreams.

Meet Julia who brings a unique perspective to the program as a German student from a Polish background.  In school she speaks German, at home she speaks Polish.  She is proud of her Polish heritage, and her family celebrates many Polish traditions.  She would love to cook traditional Polish foods with her future host family including pierogies and chicken soup. Julia describes a very close-knit family life in which she enjoys shopping with her mom and helping with the housework. She is also very close with her dad and her older brother as well, even though he is now an adult living on his own. She is also a proud dog sister who loves and cares for her furry family member, Daisy.   Her goals for herself in this program revolve around becoming part of her host family, joining their life and being part of their everyday activities. She also talks about wanting to use this experience to grow as a person, “I believe this experience will help me grow as a person, understand myself better and become more independent and braver.” She loves experiencing other cultures and would one day like to work in tourism or for an international company.  Julia’s hobbies include swimming, she loves the water, going to the gym, cooking, watching movies and spending time with friends in nature.

Meet Elouann "Elou" from France. He has a very close family that includes his parents and two siblings. He describes himself as an energetic person with a great sense of humor. He is very athletic, and passionate about sports, especially basketball, which he plays daily. He hopes to experience the “sporting culture” (NBA, NFL) while living in the U. S. He also coaches a boys’ team and regularly referees games, gaining confidence and leadership experience. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, skiing, cycling, cooking and playing board games. He loves to prepare meals for his family on the weekends. Elou loves animals and enjoys caring for his dog, Marvel. He previously lived with a host family in Seville during a school exchange, where he adapted easily and loved discovering new traditions. Elou is motivated, respectful, and open minded. He is excited to meet his new host family to experience a new culture and traditions and to share his culture with you!