A day in the life of an exchange student… Summer

Students are either in school in their home country or going on break. Some of my students are traveling this month. Others are hanging out and enjoying their friends. All are looking forward to their stay in the United States. Those who know they are coming are talking with their host families and excitedly preparing what to bring, what to buy and bring or what to wait and buy when they get here. Trying to pack in one suitcase what they will want for 10 months is daunting to say the least!!! Some are wondering who their families will be and if they will be chosen by anyone at all. We at CIEE do a good job at placing all of our available students. We work until Labor day to ensure every student who want to come is able to. We always get it done because we love what we do and we know how life changing and important the exchange experience is to the student and to us! 

Students I have had over the years…
Laura: in 2010, she went to Grayson. Such a beautiful girl from Brazil. She was a strong Christian girl who loved people and music. It has been fun to keep up with her through Facebook. She is almost through with nursing school!

Adam was from Slovakia and was a happy kid - fun to be around. He has a steady job and has traveled around the world! He traveled 4 hours to spend a day with me when I was on a recent International trip! 

Pat is from Thailand - he has served in his military and is now in college and doing very well. He called me when his mother died of cancer. He said I was his only mom now. He was so sweet!

"Joe" , his name was Sounghung or something like that - he said I never got close tot he pronunciation and preferred me call him Joe - so I did. He had a hard time with English. Although he could read and write it, he struggled with the verbal. I took him to tutoring and his whole experience changed. He learned very quickly and his personality was able to come shining through!

Nicolas was a young man from Brazil. He was absolutely a sweetheart! He was kind and gentle and easy going and helpful. He was a normal kid - played soccer, good student. He was such a joy to be in our home. He is doing very well - I see him on Facebook all the time.

I had a boy stay with me a couple of week from Tajikistan. I didn't even know this country existed!!! But he was a nice and respectable young man. He was a muslin, but attended church with me.

Yaoxian was from China and very talented in the field of arts. She was extremely smart and loved high fashion.

Rafa was my next Brazilian. What a honey! She loved music and truly, felt like she was one of our own children from birth. She is currently back home and going to college and pursuing her musical dreams and modeling.

Pilar was my student last year - she was a load of fun! She always always alway made the best of every situation. I was able to visit with her parents on my recent trip to Spain and it was so much fun to have her mother , who is originally from Panama to visit us. 

Alex, although he didn't live with us, he spent a significant amount of time with us during his year - what a fun and talented guy! He had a great creative mind who never met a stranger! He was great with my grandsons and went on scouting events with us. We camped in an underground cave! I got to see him this year in Madrid! We went tot he city and took night pictures together - him showing/ helping me with my camera. So much fun - like we had never been apart!

Abby - from Malaysia. What a honey!!! By the time she left for home, people thought she was from here! She played soccer for the first time and got an award from the coach! We Skype and talk on Facebook almost daily! 

John from Sweden! What a great kid! He played not he All-star Dekalb soccer team this year. 

The list goes on and on of the students I have met who have changed me! I love these kids. I love working with them and getting to know them! I love meeting new families and sharing this experience with them. Will you consider hosting this year? give me a call or email 404-556-6767, tcdelozier@aol.com www.ciee.org/highschool