Meet Our Students

Hannah is a thoughtful, motivated student from Taiwan who brings a wonderful balance of responsibility, creativity, and warmth. As president of her Applied English Student Association, she’s already shown strong leadership and the ability to manage events and handle pressure with maturity. Outside of school, she stays active through boxing and handstand training and loves cooking everything from traditional Taiwanese dishes to pasta, steak, and curry. She’s also a big fan of musicals—both live and on screen—which she enjoys sharing and discussing with others. Hannah describes herself as 40% outgoing and 60% introverted: she loves exploring with her host family but also respects quiet time to recharge. She adores animals, enjoys trying new things, and is working hard to strengthen her English before arrival. Ready to step out of her comfort zone, she hopes to become a true part of a family’s daily life. Families looking for a capable, kind, and culturally curious student won’t want to miss the chance to host Hannah.

Emie is from a small French beach town and loves to meet new people and explore new cultures. She loves running, swimming, drawing, and enjoying time with family. Emie is the oldest sibling and has one younger brother. She also likes dogs and especially cats. Emie speaks English and French and wants to become more bilingual by living with an American family. She is a sunny, happy person that loves to help others and is excited about experiencing the American dream.

Boris is an honest, ambitious, and thoughtful student who is excited to become part of a host family and experience a new culture while growing as a person. He values meaningful relationships, adapts easily to new people and situations, and describes himself as patient, positive, and responsible. Family and close friendships are very important to him, and he comes from a supportive home where trust and open communication matter. He enjoys mountain activities such as skiing, hiking, climbing, and exploring nature, and he finds peace and freedom in the outdoors. One of his favorite travel memories is from Istanbul, where a simple day of exploring left a lasting impression on him. Boris is eager to share in family life, respect house rules, and fully take part in the everyday routines and experiences of his host family.

Meet Le Yuan from Taiwan.  His name “Lee” means “joyful” in his mother tongue of Mandarin- a name he says fits him well.  He describes himself as a positive, curious person who loves to smile.  He drew inspiration to embark on this adventure after living in the UK for a year with his family, he encountered and overcame cultural differences, learning a lot in the process. That experience taught him to step out of his comfort zone, now that he is a teen he is ready to experience these things on his own, as an exchange student in the US living with a host family.  He described himself as calm and easy-going.  He is also responsible and caring in that he describes routinely helping out around the house, cooking, cleaning and taking out the trash.  He also states that he is extremely grateful for this opportunity and very appreciative. His goals for himself for this exchange year include, making friends, joining clubs, and improving his English. He loves sports- he has been playing soccer since he was six, plays table tennis and enjoys long distance running.  He plays board games too including the game of “Go” an ancient Chinese strategy game. He is excited to meet his new American family!

Meet Julia from Germany!  She will be joining us for one semester. One of the first things that Julia mentions about herself is how much she loves the English language.  She says that she thinks the English language is beautiful, she loves the sound of it, she loves studying it and she surrounds herself with English language music and English language TV series.  Julia also states that she enjoys political science and history classes at school.  She plays the guitar and loves listening to music. She also draws. She enjoys getting out and walking with friends as well. She enjoys trying new things and recently started a new hobby- nail art!   She has a younger brother with whom she is very close, even if they sometimes fight over Roblox. She does not have a pet, but she had always wanted one.  Open your heart and your home to this enthusiastic and fun-loving student!

Matea is a FLEX scholarship recipient from Serbia. She shares, “My future, I'd like for it to consist of some kind of design. Ideally, I'd go to college to learn about art and incorporate it in my career. Some form of animation or character design, in movies or games. It's my passion and I just want others to be inspired by my work.” Matea has a wide range of interests connected to the arts: she loves both digital and traditional art. Her passion for video game design was sparked by playing video games with her father when she was younger. She enjoys visiting museums and galleries alongside her mother. In addition to her artistic passions, she has played volleyball for eight years and has formed lasting friendships through tournaments. Matea also delights in attending festivals and concerts, as well as exchanging books with friends. Matea describes herself as open-minded. She contributes to her household with various jobs, while also helping her grandparents on their farm. Matea is very excited about her upcoming exchange program and being a part of your family.

Linus is a friendly, easygoing student who brings positive energy wherever he goes. He grew up in a close-knit family and values spending time together, whether watching TV, traveling, or playing sports. Linus especially loves running and track, where he has competed in events like the 200m and 400m, often placing highly while building discipline, perseverance, and strong teamwork skills. He also enjoys baseball and basketball, staying active with friends whenever he can. Beyond sports, Linus is passionate about music, serving as a principal saxophonist in his school band and playing piano in his free time. Linus enjoys connecting with others, making people laugh, and creating a welcoming environment. He’s excited to improve his English, experience daily life in a new culture, and share his own traditions, including cooking and language with his host family.

Meet Fanny from France!  Fanny is extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to spend an exchange year in the U.S. It is one of her “biggest dreams” and she has been focused on making it happen since she was young. Spending an exchange year in the U.S. is what has motivated her to study English. Fanny explains that she is extremely grateful for her friends and family and values those relationships highly. Her friends describe her as someone who is very kind, thoughtful, funny, emotional and reliable.  One of her other dreams- going to an American football game and rooting for her team!    She also loves all animals especially her cats Bambou and Ficelle with whom she shares a deep connection.  Fanny loves to do crafts and dance (she is currently on a dance team). She also enjoys the self-discipline she gets from pushing herself at the gym and often clears her head by going for a run. She also enjoys all genres of music.  Baking is also one of Fanny’s hobbies, her specialty is cinnamon rolls because she loves the smell. Fanny is overflowing with energy and excitement; she is more than ready to make the most of her exchange year here in the US. 

To learn more about me, please see my Dear Host Family Letter!

Zuzia is a warm, outgoing student from Poland who loves cooking, baking, and spending time with family and friends. She enjoys staying active, reading, and exploring the outdoors, and is especially excited to get involved in school activities like cheerleading or track. Zuzia is eager to experience American life, share her culture (and homemade pierogi!), and become a true part of her host family.