Youth For Understanding USA

Meet Catalina, a fun and sincere 16-year-old student from Chile! Catalina has a big heart for animals, especially cats, and would love for the opportunity to volunteer at an animal rescue. Painting, photography, crafting, eating sushi, and spending time with her family and friends are favorite activities for Catalina. At school, Catalina loves to learn about Biology, and enjoys expressing herself in her Art class. In the future, she is considering a career as a psychiatrist and would like to return to America for further studies. Catalina was drawn to the USA for her exchange country because she has always been fascinated by its culture and people. During her time in the USA, she looks forward to mastering the English language and learning about the American lifestyle from her host family. Catalina would like to thank her host family in advance for sharing this experience with her!

Ambitious, curious, and kind best describes 17-year-old Tilda from Sweden! A very dedicated student, Tilda loves to learn about a wide variety of subjects, and hopes to one day find a career that will enable her to benefit society and make a difference with environmental issues. When she's not studying, you might find Tilda practicing jazz and street dance, going for an outdoor jog, playing board games with friends, or working at her part-time restaurant job. Tilda has a close relationship with her parents and two older sisters, often traveling, working out, or enjoying "fika" - a relaxing coffee and cake break in Sweden. During her exchange year, Tilda is looking forward to learning about the American way of life while growing as a person. "It is really a privilege to be able to do this, and I am very thankful that you are giving me a chance to make it happen," says Tilda! MUST BE PLACED IN CALIFORNIA

Rintaro, a 16-year-old student from Japan, is a bright, positive, and friendly young man! He likes to be active through playing on his school's basketball and track & field teams, sports that he would like to continue in the USA. Rintaro also enjoys the Japanese art of calligraphy, riding rollercoasters, computer games, reading, volunteering, camping with his family, and playing games in the park with his friends. He lives with his parents and two sisters at home, and is very happy to have been born into his family. A very good student, Rintaro enjoys learning about the past in his History class. His teachers write that he gives great advice and is trusted by his fellow classmates. Rintaro hopes that his exchange experience will make him more bold, and he would love to watch a MLB baseball game or a musical! Will you welcome Rintaro into your family?

Coming from a large family with 5 kids and 2 cats, meet 15-year-old Kolja from Germany! Kolja is described as a gentle and kind young man, who is always warm and welcoming to new classmates. He has a relaxed demeanor and a great sense of humor as well. Kolja has diverse hobbies, including karate, playing the piano, singing in the school choir, and taking ballroom dance classes. While in the USA, he is really hoping to try some activities that his host family members are interested in, or school activities or clubs that he doesn't have in Germany. In school, Kolja enjoys math and the sciences, but also likes creative subjects such as art, music, and theater. Kolja thanks your family for making cultural exchange possible by hosting an exchange student, which is why his family in Germany will also be hosting next school year!

Fun, focused and friendly, meet 16-year-old Luana from Brazil! This outgoing young lady is full of life, and is excited to explore her new community and try new things next year. At school, Luana is a very good student who likes math best and plans to use her math skills in the future as an architect or interior designer. She lives at home with her parents and younger brother. Together, they like to play volleyball at the beach, share meals, watch movies, and play board games. Friends say that Luana is creative, likes to talk, and makes everyone around her happy. During spare time, Luana enjoys cooking, listening to music, meeting with friends to chat, spending time outdoors with her dog, reading, traveling, volunteering, and watching sports or movies. While in the USA, Luana would like to try new things, possibly gymnastics and cheerleading, and continue playing volleyball. Are you ready to add a little "sparkle" to your world while exchanging cultural traditions with Luana?

With a passion for cheerleading, 15-year-old Natsuki from Japan describes herself as a cheerful, positive, active, and naturally smiling girl! Being active is important for Natsuki, and she has participated in many sports such as cheerleading, soccer and volleyball. Playing the clarinet, listening to music, and time spent with friends is also high on Natsuki's to do list. Other hobbies include reading manga, drawing pictures, cooking, crafting, traveling, watching sports and movies, and volunteering. Occasionally on the weekends she likes to sleep in, read manga, listen to music, do some homework, and make cheese dogs! Natsuki is looking forward to her exchange year! Because Natsuki has been so involved in cheerleading, she is also hopeful to continue this while in the USA. Natsuki understands the importance of family and working together to keep the house clean. Consider hosting this fun girl!

Karin is a 17-year-old girl from Japan who hopes to make a difference in the world! Karin believes that by coming to America she will contribute to greater cultural understanding. Her long-term goal is diplomacy, as she wants to be part of the effort to keep the world safe! Listening to music is one of Karin's favorite hobbies. She enjoys Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and One Direction, often translating the lyrics into Japanese. Karin also has an appreciation for team sports. She currently plays tennis and volleyball. Karin plans to use her interest in sports to help her make new friends during her exchange year. Academics are stressed in Japan, so Karin often has school on Saturdays and spends Sundays doing homework. In spare moments, Karin enjoys photography, crafting, and cooking Japanese dishes. Karin is close to her family, who she says are good at supporting each other in all that they do. She lives with her mother, older sister, and three older brothers. Karin's teacher describes her as diligent and willing to take on tasks that others will not. This special young woman will make a wonderful addition to your family!

Meet 17-year-old Ryosuke from Japan who loves to make new friends and be healthy through playing sports! He has played baseball, basketball, and track & field for many years, and now he is enjoying practicing handball. Ryosuke is hoping to play some type of sport in the USA during his exchange year. He works very hard at school, studying information systems, programming, and technology. He wants to use his skills to help people and to eliminate crime on the internet. For that, he feels he needs more knowledge, so that is one of the reasons he wants to learn in the USA. One of his favorite hobbies is origami, which is the Japanese art of paper folding. He likes this activity because it is very profound as it can be made easy or difficult, and it requires time and skill. Ryosuke chose the USA for his exchange year to meet new people and to discover the American culture. He wants to be a member of your family, and hopes to introduce his Japanese culture to you!

Curious, outgoing, thoughtful and kind Maki, age 18 from Japan, enjoys outdoor activities, cooking, reading, and watching movies and sports! Having high regard for family, she appreciates the close relationship with her working mother, assisting in meal preparation and household tasks. Maki cherishes family time spent eating meals and shopping. Time with friends is relished whether gathering for lunch, listening to music, sharing concerns or studying. Respectful and friendly at school, Maki is an avid learner earning excellent grades. She assisted her science team with winning a first place award in a science contest, and is the vice chair of a broadcast club. Additionally, she plays the clarinet in a band. Excited to have been able to participate in a two week cultural training in Hawaii, Maki was enthralled to learn about the USA and Japan while visiting historical sites and interacting with others. In the future, Maki is considering becoming a teacher. Looking forward to improving her English and expanding her knowledge of the American culture and history, Maki wants to share the "charms" of Japan. She is grateful to the host family who makes her a member of their family, "sharing a great year" together!

Cheerful, curious, and kind are just a few words to describe 17-year-old Ichito from Japan! He is an avid soccer player, enjoying working as team with his peers. As a young child, he always wanted to become a professional soccer player but as he's gotten older, he has seen other possibilities in sports that he would like to pursue. Some of his other hobbies include listening to rap music, watching sports, outside activities, and playing Kendama - a traditional Japanese skill toy. Ichito chose America for his exchange destination because even though it is only one country, it has so many cultures and characteristics within it. Also, living in America for a school year is a great way to improve his English skills, and to improve himself and his sense of responsibility. He is very realistic, he knows that this opportunity is not a vacation, there will be a lot of great times but also many challenges. These experiences whether good or bad, will help shape the person that he wants to become. Ichito is up for this challenge, flexible enough to make it work, and knows that good communication is necessary to accomplish his dream. He looks forward to sharing this experience with your family!

Introducing Kazane, a 17-year-old girl from Japan! Kazane lives with her mother, father, an older brother, and her pet rabbit. She loves to dance, especially hip-hop. Kazane enjoys performing in front of others, and finds dance to be a way to express herself. She also enjoys watching action movies, camping, and playing badminton. With friends, Kazane can often be found at a karaoke room where they practice singing songs in English. Kazane is especially interested in Japanese history, and would like to share her knowledge of the Japanese culture with you. While in the USA, Kazane would like also to become a bridge between Japan and America, and therefore wants to improve her English skills to speak the language more fluently. She also hopes to participate in her host family's life as much as possible. Kazane can't wait to experience the American culture with you!

Describing herself as someone with lots of hobbies, 15-year-old Tetyana from Ukraine is both creative and athletic! Her list of hobbies includes playing both the piano and the guitar, drawing, and writing poetry, but Tetyana says that her favorite activity is running. She loves the energy that it gives her, and likes to go for a long run when she has free time or is just feeling lazy! A good student with outstanding English skills, Tetyana has occasionally been used as an interpreter, but her main academic passions are science and math. She enjoys robotics, doing research, and says that she hopes to become an engineer and create new technologies someday. Tetyana describes her parents and younger sister as her best friends. They love to travel, go skiing, fishing, take walks, and have picnics together. Tetyana has been described as someone who adapts easily and who is curious and open-minded. She loves to participate in different activities, sports, and projects. She is looking forward to everything about her exchange year and would love to play a team sport, play in a high school band, and continue running. As someone who likes to write, she'd even be happy writing for a school newspaper or join a science club! FLEX SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT

Curious, creative and open-minded, 17-year-old Lea from Germany is very excited to begin her exchange year in the USA! A girl of contrasts, Lea describes herself as a bit introverted, yet curious, friendly, and open-minded. An excellent student, Lea is highly regarded by both teachers and peers and has been chosen as the class president since fifth grade. Lea lives at home with a younger sister and her mother, two cats and a hamster. She loves animals, likes to draw, play computer games, hang out with friends, and listen to music. But her true passion is writing and acting. Using her talent to serve her community, she reads her own short stories to the elderly living in nursing homes and to young children, sharing her creativity with all ages. She has been part of a theater group for the past 5 years and says that through acting, she can express her emotions and creativity. Lea has chosen a vegetarian lifestyle, but does her own cooking. Will you open your home and share your world with Lea? CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG STUDENT

Acting is favorite activity for Sarah is a 16-year-old from Germany during which she can slip into another life and be on stage. Sarah has also practiced judo and flute for a number of years. Her family consists of her parents, younger sister, and baby brother. Sarah says there is always something going on at home, discussions to have or friends stopping by. Sarah is also a class representative in her school and frequently acts as an active organizer among her friends. Sarah also enjoys reading, doing crafts, and writing short stories. Sarah is eager for her exchange year, which she sees as an opportunity to gain a new perspective on life in general and American life in particular! CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG STUDENT

Patient, cheerful and friendly, 15-year-old Kanon from Japan loves the American culture and can't wait to learn all about life in the United States! What excites her the most is becoming part of a family and making many new American friends at school. When she's not studying, Kanon loves to dance contemporary and classical ballet styles. She also has experience as a cheerleader, and enjoys drawing and spending time with her dog during her spare time. At school, Kanon loves learning the English language, which will come in handy for her future career as a flight attendant. Kanon hopes to spend as much time with her American host family and friends as possible, so that she can improve her English skills and share her Japanese culture. She has studied the Japanese traditional tea ceremony, and looks forward to demonstrating her performance of tea preparation and serving for you. "I am looking forward to seeing you face to face soon," says Kanon!

Robin, 17, is an active young man from Germany! He goes to the gym regularly with his brother and his friends to keep fit. Robin also serves as a member of the volunteer fire company in his town. He explains that they train vigorously, and the group feels like a big family. Robin's family is very close, and they regularly visit his grandparents, both for breakfast and to celebrate special events. Robin has two dogs that he cares for and says that he loves all animals. Robin says that he loves to be outdoors enjoying nature. His favorite subjects in school are English, politics, geography, and ethics. He also enjoys creative writing. While he would love to become an actor, Robin knows this can be a difficult possibility, so he will probably pursue architecture as a stable backup. Teachers describe Robin as precise, cooperative, kind, and as a young man with many interests. Open to new experiences, Robin is excited to meet his host family and begin his exchange experience! CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG STUDENT

Meet active, friendly, polite, and kind, Mariana, a 15-year-old girl from Brazil. Mariana loves animals, skateboarding, swimming, and she also participated in artistic gymnastics in past. Additionally, she enjoys listening to music and watching sports. Mariana earns good grades at school with her favorite subject being Science. With a love for the elderly, she is considering a future career in geriatrics. Eager to begin her exchange year in the USA, Mariana looks forward to participating in Halloween as well as other American traditions, and would also like to cook her host family her favorite sweet dessert. To her future host family, she states, "Thank you very much for this incredible opportunity to live with you for 1 year!"

Thoughtful, curious and enthusiastic, 16-year-old Kengo from Japan loves playing baseball, snowboarding, and exercising! He views life with a fair and objective point of view. Kengo visits soup kitchens, and tries to find ways to improve the lives of underprivileged children. He adores his family, appreciating "everything" his mother does for their family, especially her "great cooking." Together, they like watching movies and sports, traveling, and dining out. Currently, his brother is on exchange in the USA. Time spent with friends is consumed with playing baseball, studying, and watching movies. A determined young man, Kengo is attentive to his studies earning very good grades. He especially enjoys his English and History classes. Kengo's future endeavor is to become a pilot. Eager to learn about the American culture, Kengo states, "It will be very meaningful for me to meet and learn from as many people as possible." To his future host family, he expresses his gratitude for "accepting me into your family!"

Described as imaginative, full of intellectual curiosity, and interested in sharing ideas, 16-year-old Hanako from Japan has participated in an English morning class before school to be able to communicate in English with people of all ages! She loves making music, especially singing and playing the clarinet in her school's wind orchestra. Although her favorite music to listen to is Japanese pop, she also likes the Beatles, One Direction, and the music from Frozen. Other interests run the gamut from practicing the traditional art of Japanese calligraphy to getting lost in a fantasy or romance novel. Hanako's favorite sport is volleyball, which she plays with her friends, and she believes she can make American friends through music and sports. An excellent student who likes activities near the ocean, Hanako hopes to become an environmental scientist. In the more immediate future, she looks forward to meeting her American family and to living happily in her new home. She will probably even bake you cakes!

Seventeen-year-old Daiki from Japan describes himself as a helpful and sporty young man! His favorite sport is volleyball, and he enjoys exercising and being physically fit. He would love to join your family in your favorite sport activities! At school, Daiki is fascinated by the subjects of Chemistry and Math, and he plans to study Environmental Engineering and become a government official in the future. Daiki is very interested in computer games and programming as well. He enjoys listening to pop music and watching movies during his free time, some of his favorites being from the Marvel series. Daiki also likes to bake, and is looking forward to whipping up some Japanese omelets for you! Other hobbies for Daiki include reading books, drawing, and painting. Daiki spends time with his family shopping and eating together, and he enjoys spending time playing sports with his friends. Daiki is looking forward to coming to America, and is excited to meet his host family!