Meet Our Students

Maj is a friendly, open-minded, and adventurous 16-year-old from Denmark who is excited to experience life as an exchange student in the United States. Curious about American culture and traditions, Maj looks forward to experiencing everyday high school life, including homecoming, prom, and holiday celebrations like Halloween and Thanksgiving. An active and dedicated student, Maj has practiced Taekwondo since the age of seven and currently holds a 2nd Dan black belt. Outside of sports, Maj enjoys spending time with friends, going to concerts and movies, and hopes to explore a growing interest in acting by joining a drama club during the exchange year. Maj describes themselves as cheerful, easygoing, and adaptable, qualities developed from being the youngest in a busy family with strong family connections. Excited to improve English skills, gain independence, and build lasting friendships, Maj is eager to embrace new experiences and become part of a welcoming host family and community.

I'm currently attending my third year at the High School of Science and I really love it! Science, physics, and math are really interesting for me. I've always wanted to have a pet but my mother says that it requires a lot of work, so I hope to have one in America! One of my hobbies is cooking, I usually bake cookies, cakes, and typical Italian sweets. I enjoy experimenting with new recipes. I love watching horror/thriller movies and series, I really enjoy the type of adrenaline--I also read thriller books! I love practicing all sports, but my favorite is basketball! I adore moving and achieving small goals, and tend to be considered competitive. Once a week I have a meeting in church with my peers, we discuss current topics and prepare activities and games for children, and I volunteer every year in a parish summer camp! I am really excited to learn and absorb the American culture. I always dreamed to celebrate the famous Thanksgiving, to baking Christmas cookies, and to watching a movie while eating popcorn from those huge bags! I'm so happy to represent my country, and I'll cook every Italian dish you are willing to try! I am so grateful for this opportunity and I'm sure we will make many unforgettable memories together!

Lina is known for her positive attitude, friendliness, and sociable personality, and she enjoys meeting new people and discovering different cultures. Growing up near the sea has given her a love for the outdoors, especially spending time at the beach or boating with her family during the summer. Sports are an important part of Lina’s life. She has practiced artistic swimming for nine years and competes at the national level, where her team became Vice Champions of France in 2024. Through this sport she has developed discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Lina is a motivated 10th-grade student who is excited to experience the American high school system and everyday life in the United States. She hopes her exchange year will allow her to improve her English, make meaningful connections, and become a true member of her host family.

This has been my dream for years! I want to follow in my father's footsteps, he spent a year in the USA as a teen and loved it so much! We have even gone back to visit his fomrer host family! I would love to share my culture, cook a French dish, and if you want, "teach" a little French. I have a younger brother who will soon be starting high school. He enjoys cooking and cooks a lot for us! He loves football too, and sports in general. Him and I have that in common! We do sports almost every day after school, at home or in sports clubs; I play volleyball and he plays soccer. My dad is an English translator, so he has been speaking to me in English since I was born. The best thing about my parents is that they LOVE board games so we have a lot of them at home. I know this experience will be life changing, and I can't wait to experience some American things like seeing a yellow school bus, maybe becoming a cheerleader, spending holidays with my host family, and making mew friends. I can't wait to learn more about you and I couldn't be happier to come to your beautiful country for a year!

Julien is an active student from France who is currently studying management and law at his high school. Alongside his studies, Julien enjoys working out, swimming, bowling, and more. Recently, he has started to make his own music! He enjoys making beats that people can dance to. Julien and his family have one cat, Neko, which means cat in Japanese. Julien decided to spend a year in the USA because he wants to become more independent and improve his English, while also wanting to discover something completely different. While he knows it won't always be easy, he is ready for the challenge. He is excited to live something unique, meet new people, and create memories that will stay with him for life.

Sem is a bright, creative, and adventurous 16-year-old from the Netherlands who is excited to experience life in the United States as an exchange student. A dedicated straight-A student, Sem enjoys learning both academically and through new life experiences. Currently attending a theatre-focused school with a filmmaking program, Sem has a passion for storytelling, creativity, and the arts. Open-minded, social, and caring, Sem loves connecting with people and learning about different cultures and perspectives. Alongside creative interests like filmmaking, museums, and theatre, Sem also enjoys cozy activities such as baking, puzzling, journaling, and listening to music. Eager to fully embrace American culture, Sem is looking forward to traditions like Homecoming, Thanksgiving, football games, and prom, while also hoping to try activities such as hockey, drama, cooking, or pottery. Family is very important to Sem, and she is excited to become part of a new host family, create meaningful memories, and share Dutch culture along the way.

Javier is a 16-year-old exchange student from Spain who is eager to experience life in the United States. He describes himself as polite, responsible, sociable, and empathetic, with a strong motivation to achieve his goals and try new things. Javier enjoys meeting people from different cultures and adapting to new environments. He is very active and sporty, with a passion for soccer, padel, and fitness. In his free time, he also enjoys playing video games and spending time with friends. Javier has previous experience as an exchange student, having studied in Ireland and England multiple times, which has helped him become independent and adaptable. Academically, he is particularly interested in economics, history, and English, and he hopes to pursue a future in business and marketing. Javier speaks Spanish and Valencian fluently, has a strong level of English (B2 certified), and some knowledge of French. He values family highly and enjoys spending time with his parents, whether relaxing at home or going out together. Although he does not have pets, he loves dogs and hopes to have one in the future. He doesn't have any brothers or sisters; however he likes young kids and sharing time with them. Javier is excited about the opportunity to live with a host family, immerse himself in American culture, and build meaningful connections while sharing his own culture in return.

I live with my parents and my younger sister and brother. We enjoy spending time together, especially when it considers traveling. Every week, we go out of town to camp, fish, and cook shashlyk. In my free time, I love playing football with friends. It is not just a game - it teaches people teamwork and also keeps me active. I also enjoy studying English, listening to new music, watching comedy about different cultures, and fishing, which connects me with nature and gives me energy. I want you to know that I'm open-minded, energetic, and eager to learn something new. I love trying new things and sharing experience with others. Through this program, I want to become a bridge between our countries and cultures. I hope to share interesting aspects of Kazakhstan and help Americans learn more about my home country. Thank you for considering me as part of your family. I cannot wait to meet you and create unforgettable memories together!

I am very honored and moved to be writing to you! I consider myself someone who enjoys meeting new people and challenging myself. I come from a large family of 6, and I have 3 brothers! We are very close and enjoy telling stories with each other and laughing a lot. On Sundays, we normally spend the day together as a family and cook a nice lunch. We can spend hours at the table talking, laughing, and debating. I am very sporty and enjoy all kinds of sports, but I especially like athletics. I’m part of the athletics club in my town, where I train for middle-distance running. But I live near the sea, so I have always loved water sports such as sailing, surfing, and swimming. In my free time, I enjoy going to the cinema, walking outside, cooking (especially baking cakes), and trying new recipes. At school, I am a motivated and serious student. I am currently in high school and my favorite subjects are history, maths, science, and English. In the future, I would like to work in the medical field and do medical research. I have always been interested in science and helping others. I think that spending a year abroad will help me become more independent and open-minded, which are important qualities for this kind of career. I really look forward to meeting you and sharing my culture with you! I think it would be an incredible opportunity to live the true American experience, meet new people, and create unforgettable memories.