Meet Our Students

Meet Lori, from central Japan. She is so excited to visit the United States as this will be her very first time abroad! She loves playing soft tennis, making sweets, cooking Japanese food like shogayaki (ginger pork), talking about music with friends, and going for relaxing walks. During her stay, she can’t wait to experience everyday American life and share Japanese culture (and treats!) with her host family. One day, she hopes to become a Japanese teacher. She is truly looking forward to meeting you!

More to follow...

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 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 Arstenbek from Kyrgyzstan. He is a serious student with a fun side! He is excited to learn about American culture and wants to try baseball and American football. He enjoys hobbies like chess, Monopoly, and table tennis. He is a recipient of the prestigious FLEX scholarship for students that have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities. He spends weekdays at a boarding school where he is engaged in several interesting projects called GreenLand, Bilimbot, Olimpfund and Olimplearn. He describes the boarding school as an opportunity that he is extremely grateful to be a part of where he is learning cleanliness and respect for elders along with academic subjects. On weekends he is home with his family which includes his mother, father and ten-year-old brother. Helping out at home when he is there is very important to Arstanbek, he cleans, cooks and grocery shops for his family. He is also very passionate about his culture; he plays a traditional instrument called the Chopo-Chor. He also acknowledges what an amazing act of kindness hosting a student is and will truly appreciate this opportunity to its fullest.

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.

Martina (Marti) is a sunny, animal-loving student from Italy who’s passionate about understanding people and their behavior. She studies human sciences, rides horses competitively, and enjoys skiing, gymnastics, and cooking homemade pizza with her Dad. When she was 10, she spoke with a girl who had just returned from an exchange year in the U.S.—and from that moment, it became her dream to do the same. Now, she’s excited to finally make it happen! Marti looks forward to learning about American culture, making new friends, and growing through this experience. She hopes to be part of a warm, welcoming family and can’t wait to share laughter, traditions, and everyday life together. If you're looking for a joyful, curious, and caring student to share your home and heart with—Marti is ready to become part of your family.

Rafa is a student from Spain, where he lives with his parents, and younger sister. He describes himself as a cheerful, fun-loving, and sociable individual who is also respectful. With a naturally curious and slightly dreamy disposition, Rafa thrives on connecting with others, exploring new experiences, and infusing each day with positive energy. He loves animals but the only pet he has is his pet turtle, Poli. Rafa is filled with excitement at the thought of living with his American family and attending an American school. Swimming is one of his greatest passions; it brings him a sense of freedom, focus, and vitality. He hopes to join the school swimming team, as he enjoys the thrill of competition. Dance also plays a significant role in Rafa's life. He has been dancing and competing for many years. Additionally, Rafa enjoys traveling and has visited five countries in Europe. He delights in discovering different cultures, traditions, and lifestyles. “I understand that hosting an exchange student is a significant decision, and I genuinely appreciate your generosity and the opportunity you are providing.”

Meet Ludovica, everyone calls her Ludo! She is 16 and lives in a popular tourist town in Italy. Ludo has one older sister who was also an exchange student. So, she had the great stories and memories from her sister and wants to create her own adventure and memories with an amazing host family here in the USA. Ludo is an athlete and has been playing volleyball since she was six years old. Her passion for the sport allows her to challenge herself and strive to do better. Ludo ski's each winter in Italy, has played tennis and done gymnastic in the past. It is clear that Ludo has such a creative imagination, especially with her drawings and her paintings. She has found that drawing clears her mind and opens up imaginary thinking. Ludo is a family orientated person, whether it be playing board games with everyone, completing puzzles, or winding down to watch with family a good old fashion horror movie. Ludo loves participating in volunteer opportunities. She understands kids and loves being able to create fun activities for them. Ludo has a soft heart for animals, she loves cats, dogs and even helps take care of horses. Becoming a doctor to save lives is her lifelong goal. She has a plan and wants to excel at it to be successful in the future. Ludo loves just being a funny and excited teenage girl. It is important to Ludo that she gets to be a part of her host family daily life. Whether it be hanging out at home playing Uno, helping cook or participating in any family outings. Ludo is very open minded with wanting to learn new cultures all while making new friends. Be a part of Ludo's future memories!

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.