Share Your Home, Change the World Host 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 231-855-1463 or Email at lhammer@yfu.org

Eva, 15 from Germany, is a curious and fun loving girl who is crazy about sports. Her biggest passion is swimming but she also loves track & field and gymnastics. Eva is family oriented and lives with her parents and younger brother on a farm with plenty of cows in Germany. Eva is helping around the house and is also responsible for the cat called Coco. As a family, they go swimming, eating out and sometimes go to amusement parks. She points out that sports take place outside of school in private clubs and shes thrilled to see how extra-curricular activities are run in the US. Open minded, Eva is willing to try out new things and experience the different culture. For her, this year will have such a big impact on her life, she's very happy to hear from you soon! 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. After dinner, her family could often be found playing board games like Monopoly and playing badminton. 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. 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. Are you willing to ride along with Kaddi on this adventure of her life? 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. 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!

Eva Germany

Katja Germany

Le Jun

Viktoriya Kazakhstan

Share Your Home, Change the World Host a YFU Exchange Student
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 sports of 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. Respectful, organized and friendly Andres, 16 from Mexicoand a twin-- is ready to join your family! . 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. . 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 due to allergies. 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. 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. 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? Active in church, a scout leader and motor cross enthusiast, Leon, 16 from Germany, is interested in many activities and he is ready to try new ones. Into mechanics, he repairs his bike often but also it is fun to learn how it works. Leon writes,"I like to explore other sports and activities. I don't have an exact vision of what that activity should be." For the last year, he's rowed crew but he also likes skateboarding and volleyball. He likes music and spends time mixing music and playing guitar. His family likes to hike, canoe, inline skate and swim. He helps out at home by setting the table, washing clothes, mowing the lawn and helping his father renovate their cottage. He helps his sister with her homework and he does cook a bit too. To earn pocket money, Leon works at a catering company. Leon looks forward to living with an American family to learn more about the country and how Americans think.

Nina Germany

Andres Mexico

Jan-Philip Germany

Jonas Germany

Leon Germany

For more information on these students please contact Laura Hammer 231-855-1463 or lhammer@yfu.org