If you ever wondered “why would I host an international student?”, Greenheart Exchange wants you to read this blog! In the following lines we will share highlights and stories from our international students who entered our high-school photo contest, especially the four who won: Clara from France, Laura from Germany, Alina from Bolivia, and Julia from Poland, to help you see the wonders and impact of hosting an international student.
Last month, we received many photo entries and it was hard to choose just one winner– as each photo spoke volumes to the effect of cultural exchange on each student. Some were professionally-taken prom photos with smiling and happy faces. Such positive emotions that no words could describe:
Other entries celebrated Father’s Day by sharing best host dad-host son moments! Host parents play a huge role in the international student’s exchange experience – and the positive outcomes go both ways:
Some students get to visit wonderful destinations like Disney World and create life-long memories:
“Hello, my name is Tenka, staying in Lincoln Nebraska from Japan. We took this picture when we went to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I haven’t even gone to Disneyland in Tokyo, Japan. It was the first time to go to Disney in my life. I met Mickey, Minnie, and other characters, I was so happy to be able to go there.
I have a lot of memories in America, but I chose this because I couldn’t believe I was in Disney for real, it was a dream world.“
And our Photo Contest winners are:
Clara, from France. Check out her blog.
Laura, from Germany: “Meeting new people, living the American high school and immersing in the American culture is every teenager’s dream! A semester or whole year in the USA is an unforgettable and unique time that I can heartily recommend to everybody! Let’s just experience the country of unlimited opportunities! “
Alina, from Bolivia. “I’ve had so many amazing experiences here, but I would definitely say this one was the most special one. I joined NJROTC during second semester. This program is very challenging and requires a lot of hard work, but it’s definitely worth it when you see how much you improve and see your team doing really good at competitions. I was part of the running team and the unarmed exhibition drill team. I was very fortunate to have two amazing coaches and hardworking teammates, we were Area 9 champions and that made us qualify to the National Championship in Pensacola, FL. We had a great time and we finished 9th place overall in the country. I loved the program because of how different it was from everything else and because the people on it were awesome, I made really good friendships and I learned many valuable lessons.”
Julia, from Poland. Don’t miss checking out her blog.
Hosting an exchange student is an incredible experience for BOTH the student and their host family. Host families get an opportunity to learn about another culture and language, from the comfort of their home. And maybe make lifelong friends so that they have a “family” to visit in another country one day!
Interested in hosting a Greenheart high-school student and starting a life-long relationship with your new “son” or “daughter”? Visit HostwithGreenheart.org to learn more, to Meet our Students, and to apply.