Thursday, July 23, 2009

Two students requesting Southwest

Jara and Lara (no relation) are both hoping they will find a host family in the Southwest. Both will arrive in August from Germany. Image how happy they would be to hear there is a family that will be waiting for them in Albuquerque -- ready to take that 1-hour drive to their new, beautiful home in Santa Fe!

Jara, 16, Germany (F)
Jara has what sounds to me like a secure and healthy sense of humor. In her profile letter she writes: “ … as I have already spend a lot of holidays without my family, I am very sure not to become homesick. I can only hope that you are not looking for a very silent girl. In that case, I may not be the best choice … Otherwise, I would like to be your “Jara in the House”.” She is on a volleyball team and would like to continue here in the USA. Jara hopes she’ll be offered drama, photography, and video arts during her academic year abroad. She enjoys working with children and will be offering her helping hands to a very fortunate volunteer opportunity.

Lara, 16, Germany (F)
Lara enjoys Latin and standard dancing, tennis, and friends. German and Math are her favorite studies. She hopes to continue her research work called "Jugend-Forscht and would like to teach it to younger people as her community project. She’s looking forward to introducing her host family to the cultures of Germany (Christmas, Oktoberfest, food). Lara expects to miss family and friends but looks forward to making new friendships (perhaps lifelong). And like Jara, Lara also has a great sense of humor too. She says, "Unfortunately I'm not communicative in the early morning, but perhaps your morning-talks are so interesting that I will like to talk!?"

Think about sharing that end of summer hike on the mesa, Thanksgiving dinner, a Canyon Rd. luminaria walk with a foreign exchange student. Open your heart and your home to a high school exchange student.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

It's July 17th and host families are needed for . . .

Introducing the remaining students that yet to be placed with host families in our southwest region. The following are blurbs from their profiles and essays. I have photos and complete profiles for all the students and would love to share them with you. Give the blurbs a read . . . they will, at the least, bring a smile to your face if not compel you to make the decision today to host an exchange student.

Lara, 16, Germany (F)
Lara enjoys Latin and standard dancing, tennis, and friends. German and Math are her favorite studies. She hopes to continue her research work called "Jugend-Forscht and would like to teach it to younger people as her community project. And I like her sense of humor. She says, "Unfortunately I'm not communicative in the early morning, but perhaps your morning-talks are so interesting that I will like to talk!?"

Matej, 17, Slovakia (M)
Matej has travelled and lived abroad in England, Germany, Greece, Croatia with his family. He thinks the best part of this experience will be finding new friends. And the hardest part (of this adventure will be "adjusting to new manners and lifestyle." Matej hopes to join a bicycle, soccer or badminton club or team while in the USA.

Ivana, 17, Slovakia (F)
Ivana is no stranger to community work. In Slovakia, she has worked with UNICEF and a local league that is dedicated to fighting cancer. She hopes to study psychology in college and to one day working to help children. Ivana talks about her interest in helping others. "I'm an outgoing person - sensitive and empathetic. Because of this my friends always want to discuss their problems with me. I am always there for them."

Jung Hyo, 17, South Korea (M)
"I would like to teach them (my host family) a way of Zen meditation. Are you interested in it?" He also talks about his dream to become an oriental medicine doctor like his father. He aspires to "become a ray of hope in the world" by rendering medical services to the poor.

Jasmin, 17, Germany (F)

Jasmin participates in student politics and would like to do the same when in the USA. She president of her student council and coaches gymnastics. Jasmin would like to study business law someday. Jasmin plays drums and enjoys hip hop dance with friends. She thinks it might be fun to join a cheerleading team. Her family is close knit including a furry member that she mentions - "I have a cat. Her name is Felini and I love to snuggle with her."

Future ambassadors of peace need host families - we need your help

High school students from more than 55 nations are packed and ready to begin a 5-10 month academic program in the the United States. They will be arriving in major cities for a transitional orientation before meeting their new host families.

Many of them have been matched with safe, loving, stable host families but we still have several who have not been so fortunate.

If you would like to help make it possible for a foreign high school student to spend an academic school year in your New Mexico community, please take the time to contact me today at 505-603-6077. If you are not able to welcome or host a student then maybe you know someone who might be perfect for this rewarding role.

You might ask, "What is a perfect host family?" Thanks for asking. A host family may be a traditional mom, dad, three kids, and a dog. A host family in a progressive neighborhood like Santa Fe may just be a single person, a retired couple, two adults who live together in a loving relationship. At my intake meeting with you, I will mostly be looking for a safe, loving, stable home with a comfortable bedroom (may be shared with same sex and similar age) and study area for your student. As host, you will be sure to make this young ambassador feel like he or she is part of a family and community.

Again, please call 505-603-6077 or email me at joanlucci@gmail.com. I would be happy to send you a copy of my recent newsletter that features profiles of the students that we still need to place in homes.