Meet Our Students

Adam lives in a small village with a population of just over a thousand people. Although the village offers limited recreational opportunities—a soccer pitch, a pizzeria, and a pub—Adam finds joy in the connections he has with friends and family. He lives in a house with his parents, siblings, and grandmother. With his parents working from home, there's always someone around. Adam enjoys spending quality time with his family, watching movies and series together, or occasionally visiting the theater to watch a play. Hiking in the mountains and swimming at the local lake are favorite family pastimes during the summer. At home, Adam contributes by vacuuming, unloading the dishwasher, and cooking when needed. He also shares his home with a dog that lives in the yard. Adam is a friendly and sociable person who values strong relationships with others. He has a close group of friends with whom he enjoys hanging out after school—walking, talking, and sometimes cycling. Cycling is a personal favorite of Adam’s, and he often organizes day-long bicycle tours with his friends, covering impressive distances like 60 miles. Music plays a significant role in Adam’s life. He has been playing the violin for nine years and plans to learn the bass guitar soon, with aspirations of joining a band. Adam is eager to expand his horizons in the United States. He hopes to join clubs like Model UN, Model Congress, or even a chess club. He is also interested in exploring programming, acting, and volunteer opportunities. Looking to the future, Adam dreams of a career where he can make a difference in the world, whether as a lawyer or a politician. His ultimate goal is to help others and create a better society. He believes that expanding one’s world leads to a greater capacity for understanding and empathy—a philosophy he lives by every day.

Introducing Tan, an enthusiastic girl from Thailand who loves all animals except for reptiles! She loves music of all genres, being in nature, and children. She says that being in nature brings her peace. She wants to study business, economics, or accounting so she can help support her family’s business. She wrote: “I chose the field of business because I value creativity and freedom in my work. I enjoy thinking of new ideas and finding solutions, which is why I believe business studies will suit me well. Additionally, I’m excited to develop language skills that will help me communicate in professional and social settings alike, making it easier to work with people from various cultures and backgrounds.” Tan also wrote that changing schools taught her resiliency and adaptability.

Meet Dilnaza, an exceptionally intelligent young woman who is proficient in five languages: Turkish, Uzbek, Russian, German, and English. Coming from a large family, she takes great pride in her role as the eldest sister to four siblings. In her leisure time, Dilnaza enjoys playing volleyball, reading, cooking, and appreciating the beauty of the outdoors. She recognizes the numerous advantages she can both gain and offer through the exchange program. With her talent for preparing a variety of traditional dishes and her passion for volunteering, she anticipates being a valuable addition to your daily meals and introducing you to some delectable culinary experiences. Throughout this exchange year, she hopes to create lasting memories with your family and classmates while exploring new ethnicities, cultures, and traditions.

Hello! My name is Adel, and I'm excited about the opportunity to live with you and learn about American culture. I'm 14 years old, turning 15 in January. I live with my parents, younger brother, and sister. We are very close and enjoy watching movies, playing board games, cooking, and traveling together. At home, I help with chores and look after my siblings, which has taught me responsibility, patience, and organization. I love playing the piano, drawing, learning languages, playing tennis, and swimming. Volunteering at animal shelters with my friends is also a passion of mine. I live in a vibrant city with a mix of nature, wildlife, and historical landmarks. Our city hosts many festivals that celebrate our traditions and culture, making me proud of where I come from and eager to share it with others. I hope to pursue a career in medicine and teach English as a volunteer in my community. I am energetic, respectful, and curious, always eager to learn and grow. I look forward to experiencing American traditions, trying new foods, and sharing my own culture. This program means a lot to me. It will help me improve my English, make new friends, and create lifelong memories. Thank you for considering me as part of your family. I can't wait to meet you all and make this experience unforgettable!

“This trip is close to my heart because I've been dreaming of it for a very long time. It brings together my desire to discover new cultures, to discover other ways of life, the traditions of other families, and of another country.” Anais is a bright, talented student from France who loves to laugh. Competing nationally in ice skating, she is driven and motivated, hoping to one day be a doctor. Anais loves all kinds of sports including dancing, surfing, and tennis. She loves riding bikes, playing board games, and beach volleyball with her family. Coaching young ice skaters and seeing them grow has been a source of joy, as has reading and discovering new cultures. From a mixture of cultures herself, Anais has also been learning Spanish since she was a young child. Her friends and family are super close, including her older brother who she really looks up to. Anais is so excited to experience life as a high schooler in America!

Aigerim (15), recipient of the prestigious FLEX Scholarship from Kazakhstan. Aigerim lives in a modern city with history, is situated by a large river, and boasts stunning natural beauty. She describes herself as friendly, open-minded, and responsible, enjoying the opportunity to meet new people and learn from life's experiences. Her interests include a wide range of activities, including volleyball, dance, swimming, volunteering, public speaking, gym workouts, sports, running, foreign languages, geography, and world history. At school, she actively participates in the Volleyball Club, Dance Club, Speaking Club, Student Council (where she holds the position of Prime Minister), and the Math Club. Her favorite subjects are algebra, geometry, and English. Aigerim aspires to become a data analyst, with plans to study abroad in Europe or the USA and travel the world. She is eager to learn about American culture, enhance her language skills, and create lasting memories. Additionally, she looks forward to introducing traditional Kazakh dishes like Beshbarmak and Bauyrsak and sharing her holiday celebrations with you. “I enjoy peaceful moments-I consider myself a laid-back person who loves to embrace life's simple pleasures.”

Say Bonjour to Eva! Eva describes herself as a hardworking, sociable, motivated girl who is always smiling. Eva is a very active girl who spends three to four days a week at the gym working on her gymnastics. She spends a lot of her weekends participating in competitions and has competed at a national level for several years. Eva enjoys running and swimming as well and feels that being a part of sports allows her to move, escape, and decompress. In her free time Eva is an avid Formula 1 race watcher and has a passion for cars. Eva has had a dream of becoming an exchange student for many years and has selected to come to the United States because of all the diversity. Eva believes living with a host family for ten months will be an unforgettable experience.

Bektur (16) from Kyrgyzstan: lives with his parents, an older sister, and two younger siblings. Bektur comes from a stunning place, surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The mountains enhance the beauty of our surroundings and contribute to the tranquility of the area. Family is very important to Bektur, and they cherish their time together. Whether playing games, taking walks, or enjoying traditional Kyrgyz meals, we always find happiness in one another's company. Playing komuz is my way to reach far back in time and be part of the storyline. He likes reading comics, books and Mangas. Other interests Bektur has are, soccer, volleyball, chess and swimming. At school, he enjoys being part of the Student Council, and after classes, spending time with his friends. They participate in community service, practice martial arts (wrestling), work out, play sports, watch favorite movies, or simply hang out. His favorite subject is history because he believes that “people should learn from it in order to build a better future.” He is excited to try baseball, football and experience new cultures like Halloween. “I recognize that new experiences and an open mind are essential for forming relationships that can lead to positive change in the world.”

Hugo, a 15-year-old from France, lives with his mother, father, brother, and pet dog, which he considers to be his brother. Hugo is a STAR WARS and Harry Potter fan! The cultural exchange force is with him! He says there are many aspects of French life that he wants your family to discover. He wants to share French specialties, like the French crêpe and French Chocolate Cake, that he knows how to bake well. Aside from cooking, Hugo also finds time to be a youth municipal councilor in his town. He has practiced Judo since he was 4 years old, earning a blue and brown belt. Hugo likes learning new things. No wonder his favorite subjects are History, Geography, and Social Science. Hugo aspires to practice international law in the future. He says he is eager to experience American Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween with your family.

Please meet Aruuke, a Flex scholarship girl from Kyrgyzstan! She said that her name means “dream and aspiration”, and describes herself as amiable, joyful, creative, and purposeful. She is the oldest child in her family, and she describes herself as a caring and supportive older sister to her two younger brothers. She is an excellent student, and she has earned the highest possible marks in all of her classes. Aruuke likes to watch movies, play board games, play Badminton, and take walks with her family. She also likes to take walks with her friends. She likes to volunteer in her community, and she also said she likes cats! Does Aruuke sound like she would be a good fit with your family?