Meet Our Students

Amanda is a special girl from Latvia, and she loves to read. She writes that she and her friends will read the same books and that they love to talk about what they have read. She said she also enjoys playing games, watching movies, and taking road trips with her family. She loves animals, volleyball, baking, and astronomy. She said she loves looking at the stars at night. She said she likes Math and Chemistry. She describes herself as a bit of a picky eater and said that some textures and tastes don’t agree with her.

More information to follow.

It is a pleasure to introduce 16-year-old Luise from Berlin Germany. Family and friends describe her as interested, curious, friendly, ambitious, and helpful. This impressive young lady is a CBYX scholarship student looking forward to sharing her German culture and heritage with her host family and community here in the United States. She loves her two younger siblings very much and enjoys playing music together with her family. Her mom is an elementary school and music teacher and her dad also plays the violin. Her parents live separately now, but maintain a close relationship living only just down the street from each other. Luise's hobbies include playing the piano and violin, music, reading, drawing, sports, and cooking. She has been playing the violin since she was 6 years old. She often helps her younger sister who is learning the instrument. She plays pop, jazz, and soul in her school's piano band, and signs in the school choir. Coming to the States on exchange has been a dream of hers since she was a little girl. "The people there have roots in cultures from all over the world. I think therefore people are open minded to different cultures and in my eyes the US has therefore become the country of freedom and creativity."

Meet Mariyam a 15-year-old from Kazakhstan. She loves to walk and explore. She lives with her parents and brother and sister, who are very important to her. Trust and politeness are important to Mariyam, and she values these qualities in others. Her friends would describe Mariyam as kind, funny, responsible, hardworking and mature. In other words, independent. She sees herself as a well-rounded person. She loves trying new things and is really interested in trying photography and drumming. Mariyam enjoys sharing post on social media that include her poems and stories as she says it makes her feel free and as though her words and thoughts are important in such a big world. She is currently writing a fantasy book. She hopes to write books and make films based on them in the future. For the last 5 months Mariyam has been teaching children with disabilities. For Mariyam this is an incredibly valuable experience. She loves sharing her knowledge and getting to know the experiences of others. Mariyam looks forward to sharing Kazakh traditions, culture, literature, and cuisine with her American family.

"Think of me as an artist ready to splash some Taiwanese spice into your life." Luo-Jhen is a bright, resilient, positive Taiwanese student who will be in 10th grade this upcoming school year. Please do not miss the opportunity to read her Host Family Letter! It is oozing with excitement and gratitude. Her words are equally poetic and sprightly; clearly her love of reading has inspired and shaped her. Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are among her favorites. She also enjoys playing tennis and cherishes the perseverance, team spirit, and leadership skills it has taught her. Her family consists of her mom, dad, twin sister, and younger sister. Together they love traveling and playing board games. Luo-Jhen is no stranger to the exchange process; her family welcomed an American student just last year. The experience opened her eyes to embrace different cultures and lifestyles. When her family moved to China, she attended an American international school where she learned to navigate language barriers, and new friendships, resulting in her adaptability and resilience. She envisions her year in exchange to be filled with growth, laughter, and shared experiences.

Meet Phyllis from northern France! Phyllis says that for years it’s been a dream of hers to come to the US. She is excited to learn about the food, traditions, activities, and life in general in the US. She is an only child and lives with her mother. She’s always dreamed of having siblings, but that wasn’t to be. She loves spending holidays with her cousins, but most especially with her 1-year-old cousin. Phyllis loves shopping, sports, and going to the cinema. Phyllis is passionate about sports, both spectating and participating. She has participated in many sports, but her favorites are climbing, football (soccer), and tennis. She’s very excited to watch American football! Although playing and watching sports is her passion, she also likes to play laser tag, going to amusement parks, visiting new cities, and shopping, and would like to share those activities with you.

More information to follow.

Please say hello to Zen, a girl from Thailand who describes herself as a friendly girl. She enjoys reading novels and comics, and says she really loves listening to all kinds of music. She loves sports, especially basketball and volleyball. She loves spending time with her family playing board games and horror movies. She feels especially close to her little brother; her family includes 3 boys and 2 girls, and she grew up with her little brother. She says that she excels at Math and Science. She says she enjoys spending time with her friends, but that spending time with her family is more important to her.

Tamila is a responsible young woman from Uzbekistan. As the oldest child, with 4 siblings, she handles many responsibilities in her home. She loves animals and loves to care for them. She describes herself as very sociable, and she says that she has no trouble making friends. She also enjoys reading, watching movies with her family, and cooking. Read her letter to her host family to learn more about this Scholarship girl!

More information to follow.