All YFU Westshore kids

Share Your Home, Change the WorldHost a YFU Exchange Student

Take a leap of faith this year! Consider opening your heart and your home to a Youth for Understanding high school exchange student for a semester! You would provide a place to live, three meals a day, encouragement, guidance

and love to your new exchange son/daughter. It is a typical family living experience--NOT a tourist/travel opportunity. Families come in all shapes and sizes, with and without children of all ages. The students come with their own

spending money, health insurance, and the commitment to live according to the rules and values of your family and Youth for Understanding (www.yfu-usa.org). Students can share a room with a host sibling.

For detailed information on these students (AND MORE) and to see if hosting might be right for you,Call Laura Hammer at 231-327-2123 or Email at [email protected]

OffeibeaGhana

Offeibea, 17 from Ghana, dreams of becoming a dietician or an actress. She is looking forward to her stay in the United States because she sees our country as a place of tranquility and great hospitality. Active in handball, hockey and volleyball, Offeibea also is involved in drama club, investment club, wildlife club and choir. She has a passion for singing and acting. She attends church weekly. She is described as adaptable, determined, and family centered. At home she does the majority of the cooking for the family. She also helps clean and do laundry. Her family practices devotions and eats most meals together. She wrote, "I want to thank my future host family for opening their home to me. I appreciate everything they have done for me and will do for me".

ElsaGermany

Being introduced to new cultures and speaking foreign languages is what Elsa,15, from Germany, is all about. Elsa hopes to travel internationally with her job one day and learn many new languages. Currently, Elsa lives at home with her parents and 2 brothers. They spend time together as a family hiking in the Summer and s kiing in the Winter. At home, Elsa helps out with laundry. Elsa is in the 10th grade at her academic gymnasium and has excellent grades. Her favorite subjects are English and French. She also loves music . She has played the recorder for many years and has recently taken up the clarinet . Elsa enjoys playing with groups of musicians as well as with her parents, who are also musicians! With friends, Elsa likes to listen to music (pop an classical), watch movies (not horror, thriller or action) and go to the theater. When alone, Elsa likes to read English literature; especially Jane Austen. Elsa has been on four different, short term (2 weeks) exchanges to French-speaking Switzerland. Her teacher writes that Elsa is the most motivated student in class and is able to motivate others as well. Elsa hopes that you will become motivated as well and invite her to be a part of your family very soon!

LarissaBelgium

Larissa, 18 from Belgium, is musically talented, artistic and an adventurer. Larissa also likes to dance and run. She is always ready to see new places and meet people from other cultures. She has traveled with her family to some interesting places and has some really great stories to tell. She chose America for her exchange year because she wants the American experience. She imagines herself as an American teenager going to an American High School and joining the choir or band. When her school work is done she loves to laugh and have fun. She enjoys reading, playing piano and singing. She enjoys being around younger children and is a Scout leader working with girls in the 12 to 14 year old age group. The most important thing to Larissa is family. She is the youngest with one brother and one sister. She hopes for a host family that will welcome her into their family as well as their home. She promises that for the opportunity to learn about her host family and their culture she will in turn share her culture. She is helpful in the kitchen and is eager to prepare a delicious Belgian meal for her new family. Welcome her into your home and your family will share this adventure with her.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.yfu-usa.org/


BernadetteAustria`

Meet 15 year old Bernadette from Austria! Bernadette describes herself as happy, open-minded and confident. In her free time, Bernadette enjoys spending time with friends, going to the cinema, listening to music, and dancing. She has Hip-Hop danced for three years and loves it! Bernadette also likes photography and hopes to take some great pictures while on exchange. Bernadette enjoys school subjects likes sports, German, English, and math. Sometimes, she watches the English television channels to get familiar with the language. Bernadette is also fond of animals although she cannot have them in her bedroom. Bernadette states she has always dreamed about the US and is anxious to become a part of an American family and experience what it is like to live in America and go to an American school. Bernadette's teachers write that she has a very positive attitude and very good at nonverbal communication. She is cheerful and has a good sense of humor. Are you ready to invite Bernadette into your home today?

NanChina

“I am so curious about the life in America that I can’t wait to meet you” proclaims Nan, a 17 year old male from China. Nicknamed John, time with family is highly valued. Besides calling his grandparents on a regular basis, he assists with house work and with his family enjoys attending the cinema, eating out and traveling. Open to learning new sports and developing new hobbies, John is keen on playing basketball, singing, painting and listening to music. In his quieter moments he enjoys playing pool. At school he participates in singing contests as well as school debates. Earning very good grades, he has a positive attitude toward school and interacts well with teachers and classmates. When the opportunity arises, he seeks out to meet and interact with new students to increase his circle of friends. His favorite classes are Chemistry and Physical Education. Anticipating his exchange year, John states, “I believe this will be a good practice and challenge for me and my life. With your selfless help and love, my stay in America is certain to be rewarding and wonderful.”

PhuongGermany

Meet Phuong, a 15-year old girl from Germany. She really likes studying languages and speaks Vietnamese, German, English and she just started learning Spanish. She enjoys traveling with her family and visiting her aunts, uncles and cousins and having sleepovers at the relative's homes. She also makes short trips with her girl friends. She and her brother take turns cleaning the family's apartment. She is an avid badminton player and would like to continue playing while on exchange. She also is really interested in art, particularly drawing. Phuong has very good grades and is happy to attend church with her host family. This spontaneous, friendly and caring young lady is excited to experience the "American way of life," improving her English, and being a part of your family.

For more information on these students please contactLaura Hammer 231-327-2123 or [email protected]


KorneliaPoland

'Kora', as --Kornelia, 17 from Poland-- likes to be called, writes that the opportunity to spend a year in the USA is "incredible". Kora lives with her parents and younger brother, with whom she gets on with well. Well, she and her brother might bicker over silly things but not any different than other siblings! As a family they enjoy going to the city to go shopping or movies or else they have friends over on Saturdays. Sundays are usually for Kora to catch up on sleep, do homework--she has very good grades-- and spend time with friends. Describing herself, Kora says she is active, always smiling and hates being bored so she always finds something to do! She likes punctuality, has no problem showing her feelings and aims for perfection! Kora enjoys organizing school events like performances and charity events. She loves traveling which made her consider being an exchange student! Besides the benefit of perfecting her English, Kora is eager to learn in detail about our habits, customs and traditions.

KatjaGermany

An active young lady and animal lover from Germany, 15 year Katja, loves horse-back riding and hopes to be able to continue riding while on exchange. Nick-named “Kaddi”, other interests of hers include: photography, swimming, bicycling, baking; listening to music; shopping and other animals. Family is also a priority to Kaddi visiting her grandparents at least once per month. After dinner, her family could often be found playing board games like Monopoly and playing badminton. One of their favorite family shared experiences is traveling. To support her family, Kaddi assists with the gardening, ironing, house cleaning, feeding the animals and preparing her own lunch after school. To earn money, she delivers papers and cleans stables. With her friends, Kaddi also volunteers twice a month at church with the confirmation class preparing breakfast, singing, and participating in discussions on subjects like fairness, poverty, war or charity. Earning very good grades at school, Open to new activities and challenges, Kaddi states, “For me an exchange year in the USA means being part of a family and experiencing the American way of Life and the High School Spirit. It’s a possibility to learn about the culture, the language and the people.” Are you willing to ride along with Kaddi on this adventure of her life?

KittipotThailand

Guitar playing Kittipot asks that you call him "James" just like his friends and family at home do. James is 15 and from Thailand. He finds playing music very calming and relaxing and hopes to continue music while in the USA. He is very into basketball and also likes soccer. His family eats dinner together, watches TV, shops, and travels together. He helps his Mom prepare meals, washes the dishes and cleans his room to help out at home. James says his favorite subject is Math because it is not just memorizing. James' teachers say that he is very good at helping others, he is honest, self-motivated, tolerant, and has a good sense of humor. James says he is very close to his brother and that they can talk about anything, but his brother doesn't always give him the best advice, which James finds funny. Knowing that being an exchange student to the USA will be an important experience for him, James is excited to learn about his host family and share their life.



Jan-PhilipGermany

A swimmer, Jan-Philipp (Jan with his friends)15, German, is also looking forward "to learning American athletics"! At school, Jan is also involved in a group that managing the lighting for productions and music programs. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with friends doing sports, watching DVDs, playing computer games, and laughing together. Once a month, Jan plays "pen and paper role play games in a fantasy shop". Additionally, he takes care of his pet gecko which require the right humidity, illumination, food and vitamins. Jan is well versed in cooking simple meals for himself and he helps with various household tasks. Outside of swimming, Jan enjoys skiing, speedminton, and athletic dancing like hiphop or jumpstyle. This cheerful, reliable and well-mannered teen is looking forward to living your everyday life and sharing American.

Ana MariaColumbia

Ana Maria is a 16 year old girl from Colombia. She gets along very well with her older brothers but she is especially close to her mother with whom she enjoys shopping, going to the spa, going to the movies, eating ice cream and taking dance classes. With her father, she enjoys bike riding. Together as a family they enjoy camping, walking and sightseeing. Ana Maria loves time with her friends too. When she asked them how they would describe her to future host family, they said “she is cheerful, funny, thoughtful, honest and responsible”. She enjoys lots of hobbies and trying new things. She especially loves painting, reading, dancing and soccer. Ana Maria recognizes her year in USA as a great opportunity and she thanks you for welcoming her into your family. She writes, "Now you know a little about me. I am sure we will have a very good time".

KristinaGermany

Kristina, 15 from Germany, describes herself as a person who is mostly happy, but also helpful, confident, reliable, open-minded, and ambitious. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, dancing, watching ice hockey, babysitting, playing volleyball, and writing reports. She also enjoys hanging out with friends, going shopping, bowling, or doing something with her friends or family. Kristina and her family enjoy swimming in the summer, cycling, board games, cinema, bowling, and sometimes table tennis or mini golf. Her favorite activity is playing handball. Kristina helps out by keeping her room clean, emptying and reloading the dishwasher, caring for her rabbit, vacuuming the house, and sometimes gardening. Kristina’s favorite subjects in school are English and math. I would like to study, maybe Master International Marketing and Media Management.” “I am really excited about meeting you in the summer and I would also like to give you an insight to my culture and lifestyle. Maybe I can cook a German meal for you and I would tell you about my life in Germany.” “I thank you again for giving me the opportunity to live in the USA with your family and for fulfilling my biggest dream. I hope that we will have a great and exciting year.”



KelvinaGhana

Focused, reflective, thoughtful and detailed, this how 16 year old Kelvina or Vheenah from Ghana, is described. She says that change is the only constant and her desire to be part of the exchange program is a good example of this. A very good student, athlete , and church secretary is how she is described. She likes to spend time with her family watching movies, playing music and sports. Soccer, hockey, shot put and javelin are her favorite activities. Attending church is very important to her. Vheenah’s teachers describe her as responsible with good leadership skills. She is eager to come on exchange to the US because it is a place of great industrialization and great thinkers who believe in great possibilities. Vheenah hopes to learn from you and she hopes that you will also love to know more about her country.

MauriciGermany

Maurici, 15, from Germany wants you to know that he very much looks forward to his exchange year with his American family. He chose America for his exchange year because he is fascinated with American culture and wants the American experience. He looks forward to all aspects of American culture including American high school. Maurici is a very strong student. He is proficient in English and also speaks Catalon-similar to Spanish and of course German. His main interest outside of school is music and he plays the guitar. He recently discovered kayaking and loves it! Maurici also delivers papers to make some money for his social activities. He makes friends easily and enjoys spending time with his family and friends rowing, kayaking or playing soccer. Maurici can cook so the chances of enjoying some really cool fusion dishes made by Maurici are very good. Maurici is adventurous and will have many interesting stories to tell about life in Germany and places he has visited with his family. The family that chooses Maurici will find him to be a wonderful addition to their family. Welcome him into your home and your family and let the adventure begin.

SteffenGermany

An excellent student, Steffen's favorite subjects in school are English, languages, history and geography. His family likes to travel and Steffen, 16, from Germany, appreciates being in countries with languages and cultures different from his own. Although he has visited a few countries in Europe, he says spending a year in the US will be a "huge step" for him. Steffen and his parents enjoy playing board games together and he builds model cars and railways with his Dad. A member of a soccer team and an avid player , Steffen has also been refereeing games this past year. He plays the keyboard and has been playing in a band the past two years. He hopes to be able to continue his involvement in music while in the US. Steffen is happy to attend church with his host family. Steffen says that becoming a part of his host family and school is important and fascinating to him. T5000



SimonBelgium

Graduated student

Into field and ice hockey, tennis, soccer and playing the piano , Simon, 17 from Belgium, also enjoys organizing free time activities with friends like paintball, karting or airsoft but also video games and music festivals. Depending the the season, you can also find him skiing, snowboarding or surfing. Simon studies languages at school, and besides his native Dutch and French, he takes Latin, Spanish and German. He’s hoping for a career in languages which will enable him to travel. Last summer, he went to the Congo for a humanitarian aid project. Simon is in his last year of scouts too. He’s never been to the USA and is excited by the chance to see our “beautiful nature and amazing cities”. Of his upcoming year in the USA, he writes “I hope this experience will make me richer in what I’ve seen of the world and human relationships. Also, I hope you are as excited as I am for this exchange year, which I’m sure, will be unbelievable”.

VivianeGermany

Skiing, snowboarding, tennis, swimming and gymnastics are just some of the hobbies of Viviane, a happy and cheerful 16 year old from Germany. Her family is very close and they spend lots of time together. They have breakfast and dinner together daily, ride bikes, go to the movies, visit family or friends and have usually taken an annual vacation which includes skiing and snowboarding. Viviane is responsible for cleaning the bathroom, taking out the garbage, feeding the cat and keeping her room clean. She also sometimes has to take care of her younger sister. In school, Viviane gets good grades and her favorite subjects are history, physical education, music, biology and art. Her teachers describe her as diligent, a good team player, sociable and especially helpful to younger students. She has been to the USA twice (Florida) and thought it was amazing. She looks forward to a successful and meaningful year!

AndresMexico

Respectful, organized and friendly Andres, 16 from Mexico—and a twin-- is ready to join your family! He is eager for his exchange year, to meet new people and share his culture. Andres is an outgoing young man who enjoys spending time with friends, playing sports, and participating in activities (ex. barbeques, parties or reunions). He enjoys sports (soccer, tennis) but also goes to museums with his family. Andres has two sisters, one of whom will be also an exchange student this year. Andres hopes his exchange year will help him in his future. He is excited to learn about new cultures and wants to improve his English. His responsibilities at home are to keep his room clean, make his bed and watch his sister when his parents go out. Andres can live with all pets except cats. Andres has a big heart and is ready to have you as a host family. When you open your home to Andres, you are gaining a lifelong son.



JonasGermany

Jonas, 15, from Germany says his family and friends are irreplaceable, and they describe him as polite, helpful and happy. He hopes to extend his circle while living a fun and harmonious life with his host family and new friends. Jonas is an excellent student , enjoying math, history, and physical education the most. Soccer and handball are very important activities to him, while he enjoys swimming with friends when he gets the chance. With his parents, he takes bike trips in good weather, and plays games with them on the weekends. Like a typical teen, he is also expected to help with house chores such as cleaning and mowing the lawn. In 2011, Jonas spent two weeks in England. Now he's ready to take the next step as an exchange student in the United States. Can you see yourself helping Jonas experience a real American way of life?

Le Jun

Le Jun, 16, from China, prefers to be called Crystal by her family and friends. As an avid long distance runner and swimmer, maybe she'll find a place in the cross country or swim team. At school, she has excellent grades, and belongs to the choir, drama club and Model UN. In her spare time, Crystal likes to play the piano and the guitar, sing, create small gifts for her family and friends, play bridge, act in plays, recite poems, and go hiking. She loves to sing and get swept away by the emotion in a song. She considers her school a fun place to learn where they might adapt famous books into dramas to better understand them. She says she will probably be a research scientist, but her dream would be to be an actress. Her family likes to travel, climb mountains, talk about current affairs, go shopping, and watch movies/TV. As a host family, she thanks you a million times for your kindness. Afraid of dogs, she is fine with other indoor pets.

MoritzGermany

Moritz, 15 from Germany, describes himself as a sporty guy whose main activities are sailing and floorball, a sport he says is similar to indoor hockey. He belongs to a sailing club with his brother and is a member of a floorball team at school. He says he is open to new sports while in the US - he just likes to be active and part of a team. His non-sport hobbies are playing the guitar and taking photographs. Moritz is a member of a paramedic youth organization and is also responsible for first aid in his school. His goal is to study nautical science in order to become a pilot. Moritz is close to his family (Mom, Dad and older brother) and says they spend a lot of time together - sailing, watching movies and shopping and traveling. He has several responsibilities at home - keeping his room clean, helping in the kitchen, mowing the lawn and shoveling snow. He also helps his grandparents in their garden. Moritz is excited that he will be spending a year in the US - learning about American culture and becoming a part of his host family.



Nina Germany

”I have many hobbies like drawing, listening and making music, reading and writing books, and sports”. Nina, 15 from Germany, loves to read and write, and is ready to see if the images in books and movies are true with her own eyes. She and her friends often write stories which they share with each other. After swimming with a team for many years, Nina decided to concentrate on her studies. Nina also enjoys sportsof all kinds, especially ball sports (basketball, volleyball, handball, soccer, etc). She belongs to a paramedics group and has received first aid certificates as well as participated in first aid competitions. Nina is especially interested in American schools and views her exchange year as a unique chance to gain experience and see the world from a different perspective. She has 2 younger sisters. Nina thanks you for giving her this chance to spend a year in the USA and become a part of your family. She hopes to have a wonderful time together making many new experiences.

JettaGermany

Creative, friendly, athletic and musically talented, Jetta, a 16 year old from Germany, anxiously awaits her American adventure. Taking voice lessons, she sings with a ladies choir and sings in a band. Athletics she participates in include: tennis, volleyball, in-line skating and skiing. Jette has a close relationship with her mother and they often watch movies in the evenings as “time with my mother is very small” and take vacations skiing and traveling. Jette also values her wide circle of friends and enjoys shopping, going to the cinema, dancing and laughing with them. Dedicated to her school lessons, she earns good grades. Her teacher states that Jette is very creative; has a good sense of humor; is open-minded; participates well in class; is respectful to students and teachers; is adaptable and tolerant. Further, she organizes extra-curricular activities for her class. A host family with a father, mother and a sibling or two would make Jette's experience in the US extremely meaningful. Aware that her year in the US will have a major impact in her future, she is looking to become more “independent and determined”, meeting new people and expanding her knowledge of the world.

ViktoriyaKazakhstan

“Hard working, adaptable, confident, and highly motivated” is just a brief description of Viktoriya. Vika, for short, is 16 years-old and from Kazakhstan. She lives with her parents, a sister, two hamsters and a cat! Responsibilities at home include playing games with her younger sister, caring for the pets, sweeping the floor, and helping cook meals. For fun, Vika likes to play guitar, go bowling , swim, play chess, ice skate, play badminton, and read classics. If possible, Vika would like to be able to swim, play guitar and attend church during her exchange. For extracurricular activities at school, Vika is an active member of their Discussion Club and every year helps with her school's Olympiad competitions . A native Russian speaker, Vika also enjoys learning English, French, and Kazakh. Vika is excited to become an intricate part of her new family!



FraukeGermany

Frauke from Germany is from a large and loving family with 4 sisters, one of whom will be coming on exchange to the USA also. She is a very good student, talented artist and enjoys sports. Snowboarding may just be her favorite but she also likes to go canoeing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and swimming and she plays tennis too . Her favorite areas of study are history, art and languages. She is an artist and she loves to draw. Frauke has the confidence and self-sufficiency learned from being from a big family. She says that with so many girls in the house (six when you count her mother too) you have to learn how to get along!. Her duties around the house include looking after her younger sister, helping with dishes and cleaning. Frauke thanks her host family for picking her to share the adventure of her exchange year and she cannot wait to become a part of your family. So welcome her into your home and your family, and let the adventure begin!

MariaChile

15 year old Maria from Chile is looking forward to her exchange to the U.S. because she wants to get to know a different culture and show her culture to her host family. With her mother, father and younger brother, Maria likes to watch movies and attend mass and she often assists with mass on Sundays. She considers herself a sociable person and likes to spend time with her friends going shopping, to the cinema or spending time at home watching movies and eating pizza. Riding her bicycle, painting, arts and crafts and baking are just a few of Maria’s other interests as well as travel, nature and pets. At home it is her responsibility to take care of her pet cat. Her favorite subjects at school are art and biology and she believes she wants her career to involve botany. She can’t wait to meet you and spend a beautiful time with you.

MatthaisGermany

From Germany, Matthias (15) is described as an open minded, friendly, happy, and humorous person. Matthias and his family enjoy going skiing, spending holidays together, going on walks, and eating dinner together. They also have a cottage in the country and spend their weekends there doing work on the property and the house. He enjoys meeting up with friends, taking dancing lessons , playing field hockey, listening to music, reading books, interested in computers , and cars and anything to do with engines. While he is enjoying his time here in the United States he would like to continue jogging, going to the gym, and playing the trombone while on exchange. “If my new school will offer an orchestra [class] I would like to talk with you about the possibility to bring my trombone with me.” “I’m looking very much forward to my year in your family and in your wonderful country. I want to try to learn everything about the American way of life to bring my English to perfection.” “I hope that I’ll get [to be] part of your family and that I’ll be a good and interesting son for you. It would be awesome if someday you could see my family and my country too.”T8000


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All YFU Westshore kids