Meet Our Students

Ole describes himself as open-minded, curious and likes to experience different environments and traditions. He enjoys watching TV series or playing video games with his friends; however, Ole also spends much of his time organizing school and city events by working on the technical side. At school, he is interested in natural sciences and math and tries to socialize and connect with different people. As an exchange student, Ole wants to grow personally, become more confident and connect with people from different backgrounds. By integrating into a new environment, this will enable him to learn more about a different culture and experience another lifestyle.

Anna is an outgoing and brave high school student from Taiwan who enjoys meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. A native Mandarin speaker, she loves sharing her background and learning from others. At school, she participates in Model United Nations, where she has developed strong public speaking and leadership skills. In her free time, she enjoys crafts and hands-on projects. Anna hopes her exchange year will help her grow, make meaningful friendships, and share Taiwanese culture—especially her cooking—with her host family.

Roman is a well-balanced boy from Germany. He is looking forward to coming to the United States, joining a host family, and becoming involved at school. Improving his language skills and making meaningful connections are his top priorities. His own family has taught him about respect, quality time, and responsibility, all of which he hopes to find and share with an American host family. Some of his favorite activities are soccer, chess, skiing, and cooking. Roman appreciates balance in life like being physically active and also having calm, relaxing activities. He hopes to truly engage with his host family because he wants to experience real family life to understand the daily routines, traditions, and values of an American family.

My family is very important to me, and I am very close to my mom. I know that I can count on her in every situation! My dad is dedicated to every little thing he does, and loves dad jokes! My dad also gave me his passion for basketball. We have two dogs, a turtle, and two rabbits! So, back to basketball. I started playing when I was 6 and I never stopped. I simply love it, either I am the one who's playing or even just watching it. I also love to watch tv shows and movies and debate on them with friends or family. I enjoy listening to other people's opinion because there are so many aspects of one show. I am excited for exchange because there is a big culture difference, and it is so interesting to learn about another culture, other traditions, and other school systems! I also love the diversity of people and environments and I would be happy wherever I go. I don't eat pork, but it is not a religious thing. I am open to try new things like new sports, things that you like to do together as a family or just simple things like going to the grocery store. I hope I described myself enough so you could imagine what life could be with me!

Celia is a 14-year-old (turning 15 in Dec) exchange student from Spain currently in ninth grade at a multilingual school. She is a dedicated and high-achieving student with a strong interest in biology and hopes to study medicine in the future. Celia comes from a close and supportive family and has a deep love for animals. She is especially passionate about basketball and has played competitively for several years, participating in official tournaments and three-point competitions. She also enjoys trying new sports, reading, playing the violin, and theater. Having previously taken part in student exchange programs in Europe, Celia is excited to immerse herself in American culture, improve her English, and share her own traditions. She describes herself as calm, sociable, adaptable, and respectful, and looks forward to becoming an active member of her host family.

Darwin describes himself as kind and positive. He lives with his mother and grandmother who support him in everything that he does; especially his education and sports. Darwin says that his home is filled with laughter and good food. One of the biggest parts of his life is basketball which makes him feel strong, focused and happy and he hopes to play in the US. He also enjoys relaxing moments, listening to music, spending time with friends and trying new foods. He chose to be an exchange student so he can grow as a person, learn about American culture, and understand life in another part of the world. By living with a host family, he believes that it is the best and most authentic way to experience this. Darwin hopes that his exchange year will be unforgettable for himself and his host family.

For more info, check out my Host Family Letter!

Tatana loves to dance and listen to music with her family. She describes herself as funny and friendly. Her favorite subjects in school are History, English, Czech, German and Biology. She is a street dancer and plays drums and electric guitar. Tatana enjoys reading and hopes to write her own book one day. She does a lot of volunteering; she is currently planning a big charity event to raise money for her local hospice. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. Tatana is working at a restaurant right now to help become more financially independent. In the future, she would like to study law and become a politician that will somehow change the world.

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.

Quinn is a warm hearted, adventurous boy who loves sports, and spending time with friends and family. He plays bandy—a unique Swedish ice sport that challenges him mentally and physically—and enjoys watching soccer with his dad and brother. Having traveled to many countries and fallen in love with exploring new cultures, Quinn is eager to come to America to experience daily life in a new environment, discover more about himself, and gain clarity about his future after school. His curiosity, love of learning, and desire for personal growth make this exchange year especially meaningful for him.