Youth For Understanding USA

Meet Kuanysh, or Kuka, a 16 year old boy from Kazakhstan. Kuka is a bright, sociable, friendly boy who is looking forward to studying in the USA! At home, Kuka loves to play basketball, chess, read and play the dombra, the national instrument of Kazakhstan. He would like to continue his hobbies but would also love to learn the game of billiards while on exchange. He is also very interested in learning the English language, our culture while sharing some of his with his new family! Kuka would like to say thank you and can't wait to be a part of your family, making wonderful memories that will last a lifetime! FLEX Scholarship Student!

Ruba, from Libya, is a girl with a remarkable background, having lived in China for about 3 years when she was younger. She is an artist who loves to write and draw and hopes to have a career in interior design. She attends an international school now. Her teacher states Ruba is an exceptional student, who shows great maturity and motivation. Ruba even creates study guides for her difficult courses and her writing is wonderful. Ruba has a close loving family, and as one of six, she has a share of chores to help at home. She loves having conversations with family and friends. Ruba is hoping to join a writing group at her American school or in the community. Ruba is looking forward to joining her host family and growing lifelong relationships. YES SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT

Cross-cultural chameleon Xiomara, or "Joely" as she is also called, is ready to add some American flavor to her global view. Growing up in Spain with a Bolivian heritage, Xiomara now lives in France and is studying English and Korean! Being adaptable has become second nature to Xiomara, who enjoys being active in the community and volunteering as a way to meet peers with common interests. An active girl, Xiomara would like to continue sports like swimming, badminton, or basketball while on exchange. Her career ambitions are undecided, as she dreams of becoming a flight attendant but also fancies getting a law degree. Her teachers commend her for being attentive and always making her best effort. Xiomara hopes she will be able to attend religious services with her Host Family and will enjoy pets, too, as she will be missing her own dog. Invite multi-faceted Xiomara into your family and watch her flourish!

Meet Africa, also known as 'Dafy', a friendly 16-year-old from Spain with a passion for teamwork! Describing herself as fun and easy-going, Dafy enjoys planning activities with her family and friends. With a love for cooking and spending time with her family, Dafy cherishes calm and simple moments, whether it's making small excursions or enjoying meals together. Dafy is ready to embrace new activities that align with her interests, such as reading, drawing, and outdoor adventures. Her friends value her as a good listener, saying she is kind and full of good advice. Teachers agree, noting she is hardworking and especially excels in team-building activities where she can combine her passion for learning and helping others. Eager to immerse herself in a new culture, learn English fluently, and gain incredible experiences, Dafy says "Thank you so much for opening your home to me".

Meet curious, jovial and sociable Tom from France! Tom hopes to become a pilot and loves learning about aviation. Tom loves boxing and surfing. Tom also enjoys hiking and camping with his friends and his family. Tom enjoys cooking and baking especially his favorite tiramisu recipe. Tom loves animals and has two cats and a dog at home. Tom is excited to learn more about the US while on exchange. Could you be the host family who would like to fly into a great year with Tom?

If you're a family that loves cars, Alma from France may be the student for you! Alma loves to watch Formula 1 Racing and says she's had an automobile obsession since her dad bought a '72 Dodge Charger when she was young. She thinks American cars are the best and dreams of one day being a Formula 1 Journalist. Her back-up career plan is being a Film Producer, as she's also a cinephile that loves watching movies with her family. They also enjoy traveling together, and the excitement of experiencing a new culture in these trips has fueled Alma's desire to study abroad in America. Alma admits she can be a little shy at first, but she hopes a new environment will challenge her and up her confidence. As an animal-lover, she would be happy to be part of a host family with pets. She would especially enjoy the opportunity to take boxing classes on exchange -- something she used to do, but had to recently give up due to school demands. Described as serious but also full of smiles, Alma is a kind and motivated young lady who's ready to explore!

Ella, from Norway, is described as a fun, charismatic, motivated girl who works hard in school. Her great interests are handball and music. Ella enjoys spending time with friends, cooking together and going to movies. Ella is from a close-knit bilingual family. Her father is from Virginia so English is a second native language. They have taken trips to the US to visit family and most recently saw the Outer Banks of NC and NYC. Ella knows that there is a big difference between visiting and actually living in a new place, a new culture. Ella is looking forward to meeting her host family. She would love it if they had pets (other than reptiles). Ella must follow a strict gluten free diet, but she knows her restrictions well. This exchange opportunity is a dream coming true for Ella. This experience will help her grow as a person. Ella will be a wonderful new daughter for your family.

Hoping to "infect" the people she meets with smiles and positive energy while on exchange, Laura, from Poland can't wait to meet her host family. Laura is an ambivert who loves spending time with her friends and family, loves painting, photography and sports; specifically figure skating and volleyball. While she has taken a break from these sports, due to a busy life, she would love to return to these sports while on exchange and possibly try new ones. A young woman with great maturity, Laura says that both deep conversations and simple discussions bring her great pleasure. Family is important to her, and she hopes to develop the kind of strong bonds she has with family in Poland while she is with her host family in the United States. With hopes of becoming an architect, she loves studying math and visual arts in school. Laura has a long list of things that she would like to do while she is on exchange, but the most important thing is meeting people who will hold an important place in her heart and stay there forever.

Thyerry, from Brazil, is one sporty young man. Any sport with a ball from soccer to volleyball, tennis to basketball, he does them all. Thyerry also loves to study all the sciences offered at school, along with math and PE. With friends he enjoys going to movies, listening to music and computer games. Thyerry has a close relationship with his parents and younger sister (and their two dogs). They have meals together every day. He is partial to Japanese food. Thyerry is described as respectful, open-minded and a good listener. He is very appreciative of this opportunity to live in a different culture and learn new ideas. Thyerry is looking forward to meeting his host family and beginning this amazing journey together.

Sporty and social Joshua from Dutch-speaking Belgium can't wait to meet you and join your family! Joshua's biggest passion in life is basketball, and he would be thrilled to join his host school's team. When he's not on the court, Joshua unwinds by playing video games and hanging out with his friends. He also much prefers to be around people, rather than by himself. Joshua is also a self-described foodie, with a slight preference for both vegetables AND junk food. Will you help Joshua score his biggest dream of coming to the US? He just might steal your heart in the process!

Equestrian-minded Pauline from France loves horses! Although she just started horseback riding 2 years ago, she is smitten and says there is nothing better. This sweet 16 year-old from France also enjoys swimming and outdoor activities with her family. Friends appreciate Pauline for her honestly and humor, and teachers praise her kindness and patience saying she is a joy in the classroom. Pauline takes her studies seriously and hopes to one day pursue business management or even start her own company. She has previously visited the US and found herself very intrigued with our different lifestyle and school system. Pauline thanks you for opening your home and family life to her and says "See you soon!"

Irmak is a vibrant 15-year-old from Turkey with a passion for exploration and creativity! Irmak dreams of a future researching modernization methods for older architectural structures, combining a love of physics and geography. Describing herself as funny, adaptable, and fun-loving, Irmak enjoys a range of activities, from playing piano and volleyball to volunteering with an environmental NGO and indulging in hobbies like painting and photography. Teachers commend her social, outgoing nature, hardworking attitude, and strong critical thinking abilities. With a love for cooking, music, and outdoor adventures, Irmak cherishes time with her family playing games and attending events. Irmak is eager to share her Turkish culture, including traditional dishes like manti, and can't wait to learn about your traditions too!

Say "bonjour!" to Eva, from France! With a love of, and flair, for cooking and baking, Eva just may be the missing ingredient in your family! When she's not in the kitchen, Eva loves to shop, be with her friends, and play with her animals. She is also well-traveled; having spent time in many European countries, and even a previous visit to the United States. Eva is ready for a total, independent, immersion in the American culture and way of life, though. She yearns to discover more about herself and her new family all at the same time. Will you invite this ambitious and determined young lady into your home and heart?

Lorenzo from Italy is active and sporty, and loves playing basketball! He likes to explore, is fun, nice, and honest. When hanging out with friends, they like to walk to the city center, work out, and play basketball. Lorenzo enjoys cooking foods from Italy and other European countries, or Asian cuisine. With family, he likes to cook, go for walks, watch movies or shows, travel, or do some gardening. Lorenzo is close with his grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousin. Lorenzo says I hope I will learn and do new experiences that will make me a better person in all aspects. He also hopes to have a great time with his host family!

Artistic and music-oriented, Alice from Italy enjoys singing in choir, collecting vinyl records, and listening to alternative, rap, trap, and Italian indie music. She also enjoys working out in the gym, and has been fencing for 8 years. Alice considers herself to be trustworthy, loyal, and easy going, and maybe a little bossy sometimes. Among Alice's hobbies are reading, shopping, watching movies makeup, and writing because each allows her to bring out her creative side. She can't wait to try out new activities with her new host family! She also tried out knitting during COVID, and baked a lot of chocolate muffins (although she says they weren't very good!) Alice enjoys traveling with her family, attending school activities, volunteering, and going to the beach. Alice decided to become an exchange student because she wanted to push her limits and expand her horizons, with the goal to become more independent and to do something big completely on her own. Alice is excited to meet her host family and is eager to immerse herself in the life of an American teen!

Meet 16 year old Phat from Vietnam who goes by the English name Jimmy. He describes himself as an active and friendly person who loves to travel and have new experiences. Of course, he can't wait to experience life and the culture of the US first hand. Jimmy appreciates every opportunity presented to him and hopes to "live life to the fullest." Jimmy is close to the members of his family, all six of them, and also enjoys time with his friends. Jimmy is passionate about soccer and can be found playing a friendly game several times a week. In school, Jimmy enjoys studying chemistry with hopes to become a scientist or psychologist in the future. Will your family greet Jimmy at the airport and introduce him to life in the US?

Remi, 15, from France welcomes being part of a family, a group, a team, and a scout troop. Though he's shy, he's a good community member who loves to laugh with others he cares about. He has participated in floor hockey for years, but he's totally open to trying new activities in his new community. His years in scouting were with a special troop that has focused on sailing and the sea. As you can imagine, he enjoys the outdoors, including skiing, fishing, camping, biking. As one of four siblings, he loves family life too such as cozy movie nights with family and cooking together with his mother and discussing current events. Sincere and respectful, you will enjoy Remi's positive attitude and ready laughter!

Alice would love to try cheerleading while on exchange. This cheerful and kind student is equally happy spending times with her friends having sleep overs, shopping or going to the movies as she is spending time with her family. Alice describes her family as peaceful. They enjoy being at home where they will go to the park or take a bike ride together. Alice is fortunate that her grandparents live nearby and she is able to see them frequently. Alice enjoys history and likely that comes from her mother who teaches art history. With both parents involved in the arts they take advantage of the many museums that are near her home and exploring them as a family is something they do as often as time permits. Alice is very fond of her bunny perhaps your family will have a pet she can spend time with on program.

Meet 15 year old Quan Minh from Vietnam, who goes by the English name George. He describes himself as being friendly and extroverted which helps him to make friends easily. George enjoys spending time with his group of friends. They often find themselves hanging out at a cafe after school where they talk about the various issues in their lives and enjoy each other's company. Being as extroverted as he is, it's no surprise that George likes team sports, especially basketball, because it allows him to interact with others and build a sense of camaraderie. It's not all sports for George, though. He also really enjoys baking as he finds it relaxing and also helps to provide enjoyment to his family, living with his older sister, parents and his grandmother. In the future, George hopes to become a businessman like his grandfather. This is one of the reasons he wants to go the US, to experience one of the world's most robust economies and, as he describes, one of the best education systems in the world. He's looking forward to becoming part of an American family. Maybe your family will be sitting in the bleachers cheering him on as he runs down the basketball court.

Do you have an appetite for French food? Yanis, from France, would love to share his cooking skills and knowledge of French food with you! Helpful, curious, and polite, Yanis is well liked by friends and teachers. Everyone says he is a great listener. At school, he finds areas of geography, history, math and Spanish most interesting. Yanis plays soccer, works out at the gym and swims, but Brazilian Jiu-Jit-su is his main sport, which he hopes to continue while in the US. Family oriented, Yanis says that his family often play board games together, go on walks, and practice sports. He enjoys playing video games and hanging out with friends, but balances these things with some alone time. He is a bit intimidated by dogs, but is willing to live with a dog-loving host family. With a brother just a year younger than he, Yanis enjoys time they spend together, practicing photography, traveling, watching sports or fishing. While on exchange, he hopes to expand his view of the world, gain a bit of autonomy and learn some things about himself.