Meet Our Students

I am a very self-motivated student. I will do my best because I am passionate about learning. I want to learn about American culture and share my culture with you! I easily make new friends but am also particular with whom I hang out. When I hang out with my friends, we usually go to the park, talk about our goals and dreams or go to the cinema. I do enjoy sports. Soccer, table tennis, and chess are some of my favorites. I also go swimming at least once a week. Right now I go to school in another town and stay there during the week. I come home on the weekends and holidays so I know my exchange experience will be an easy transition. In America, I want to enjoy every moment I have with you and my future friends!

Who is up for a game of RISK? That is Mauricio's favorite board game to play with his family. Comics? He loves them. (Those pictures can convey so much more than words!) Breaking Bad or a great documentary on tv? Sounds perfect for Mauricio. If not these, then how about a game of basketball? Mauricio has been playing for several years (and loves to see live sporting events, too). This aspiring engineer (into all things computers and robots) is impressed by what he knows about America, "one of the most advanced countries in the world". He is excited to meet his American host family and learn so much more!

Help make Ana’s dreams come true. Ana has always dreamed of coming to the United States. She is very grateful for this opportunity and will do everything she can to make it a great experience not only for herself but for her host family. She is even learning how to cook a few Spanish dishes for you. She loves to play volleyball and roller skate, but her passion is skiing. She is excited that many of the schools have ski teams. She hopes she will be able to do what she loves while living here. She is looking forward to making new friends. She has been studying English since she was young but admits she needs to improve. She knows immersing herself here will help. She is excited about everything her new school and family will offer her.

Track and field, parkour, tennis, handball, soccer, basketball, and watching American football are just some of the things this active young woman loves to do in her free time. She also plays violin. And she loves movies and ice cream! Nora is the youngest of three sisters. She doesn't mind being the youngest, but she prefers to have the company of her siblings. Nora has done a two week exchange before, but she wants to experience more culture and more friendships. For her, this experience is about finding similarities in people regardless of cultural differences. Nora is so happy to have the opportunity to live in America with a host family for a semester to learn more about the culture, the people, and the language.

Panvad nickname is Ueay, but you can call her Peb. She is quite excited to spend time with you, and is very interested in English and American cultures. Panvad says that Thai cuisines are delicious and she would like to cook for you. She is friendly, talkative and cheerful. She has two dogs, Teelek and Happy, and says that they are honest, playful, and lively like her. She likes to watch science-fiction movie, such as Star Trek and Avengers and James T. Kirk and Ironman are her favorite characters. She is taking Intensive English Courses for the three years and 4 of her classes are spoken in English each day to improve her English. She has been board jumping since she was in primary school and have earned medals at each competition. She wants to be a pilot and plans to study in Aerospace engineering and attend the Aviation school and this is the reason why she studies so hard, so she can achieve her goals.

The host family to me is one of the best parts of the exchange. I want to be part of your family and grow. I want to teach you everything I know about Spain especially my favorite, The Carnival of Cádiz. My Family is important and my mother and father are very supportive. My older sisters are like my best friend. We enjoy many things together. Like most teens, I enjoy hanging out with my friends. We enjoy going shopping and eating fast food. I enjoy photography and astronomy. One day I will work as an aerospace engineer. I am looking forward to making new friends and a lifetime of memories with you.

Amirjon has responsibilities at home, but he also likes to read, listen to music, sing, play guitar, go to the gym, and watch movies and television when he has free time. He would eventually like to enroll in a university for economics and business, hopefully studying abroad. He would love to have his own successful business one day. Amirjon wants his host family to know he is kind and openminded, that he can find a common language with anyone because of his sense of humor. He is looking forward to learning about and living an American teenager life and gaining new friends for a lifetime.

Rodrigo loves to be active, especially biking. He is also a runner. When he can get by the water, he loves surfing and canoeing. Although he has tried to convince his parents for the past three years, he still does not have a dog. Wouldn't it be great if his host family had one for him to love?! When Rodrigo thinks about his exchange year, he just smiles knowing he will share his culture, learn to read and write English more fluently, become a part of an American family, and participate in many activities with new American friends. He just cannot wait to be here!

Vlada is an only child and would be happy to have brothers and/or sisters. She enjoys spending time with her family, they like to have barbeques, attend festivals; spend time together talking or watching TV. Volunteering is the most important part of their lives because they are giving back to their community. It makes them happy to see others feel good, in their difficult time. She and her father enjoy bicycling or jogging. She enjoys sewing ribbons, reading books, water aerobics classes and playing team games with her friends. She isn’t sure what she wants to do in the future but knows that she wants to help other people. She wishes that the world that we live in, would become a kinder and happier place and feels that this program is giving her the opportunity to make it a better place to live in. She wants you to know how much she admires your family for willing to host for the entire year.

Drama, dance, and personal defense classes are a few things Iria likes to do in her free time. Otherwise, during the week she is usually studying. On weekends, she loves to visit her grandparents and spend time with her friends. Iria loves to study Biology and Chemistry. She would love to work in a lab one day exploring illnesses and their cures. Like many of us, Iria's favorite day is Friday! She has her favorite classes (Biology, of course), math, English, and Physical Education. This is the day she studies catechism, too. Then, she can begin her weekend full of movies, board games, shopping, and excursions. Iria is already so thankful for her host family and all she will experience in a year with them!