kids having a great time!!

County Fair in California

Giuliana from Argentina and Otavio from Brazil

2011 Students in Ohio

A few photos of the great kids that are having a great time in Columbus Ohio under the representative of Hugh Dick. These kids are truly having an International experience with their host families. We have the best kids and the best host families in the Midwest– they are all matched beautifully and all are doing so many things locally– the kids as well the host families are just great !!

Natalie hits the ground running

Natalie and American mom and dad

Natalie arrived from Brazil in January to the Steve and Dawn Steele family in Reynoldsburg Ohio– and this young lady   literally “hit the ground running”

The Steele family has hosted many students previously and since this was going to be the final student they hosted for awhile; they wanted her to have the very best semester that was possible while she was in their home.

Above  are some of the photos of the places she has been and things she had done since her arrival– in addition to the local school activities she has; she also was part of a wedding procession and has learned many things about the American family and lifestyles in the USA.

Currently the host family and Natalie are flying out to the Grand Canyon to take the last of the trips they had planned for her –and I believe its safe to say that this young lady has had an experience in the USA that she will carry with her for the rest of her life — the only regret the host family has about hosting this young lady is that her time here was just tooooooo short!!

Skating Wizards in Michigan!

Just hanging out at Hard Rock -- Jan 2011

Hard Rock Cafe!Jan 2011

Lunch is served!! Jan 2011

Skating stars of Michigan--Jan 2011

Katie and Josefine share some skating knowledge with Ye -Jan 2011

YAY!!! Ye is up and skating!!! Jan 2011

Jenna and Ye and Grace zips by--Jan 2011

Anton and Jonas on the ice- Jan.2011

Steve Koster gettin in the groove!! Jan 2011

Rigg-Koster(Bill) family in 2010 in Mich

This past weekend the students that are managed by Barbara Koster enjoyed a wonderful day attending a skating party Barbara coordinated for them.  There were 9 students of  Nacel Open Door as well as some of their siblings that had the opportunity to enjoy the open arena and show off their skills.  One of our students was pretty shaky at first on her skates; but with the help and support of two of our girls; she was able to skate and enjoy the freedom of standing on her own while flying (well almost flying–giggle giggle) around the rink.

The students also had the opportunity to enjoy their lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in the immediate area where they were able to just “hang out” for awhile– a great day had by all!!

Jessica from Venezuela’s First Christmas in the USA-2010

Jess on the highest point of Zanesville

Due to a complicated situation that came up in the host home of Jessica; my daughter decided that she wanted to take this young lady and share our family and our holiday traditions with her during Christmas time. It was a very nice time of relaxation and the two girls (Cathy and Jessica) became as sisters in the two weeks she shared Cathy’s life and home.  Cathy loves to take photographs and she did some beautiful shots of Jessica for her memory book to take when she returns– she was also totally submerged in our family during the Holiday and even learned how to make homemade macaroni and cheese at my sisters home the day after Christmas when we all got together.

Jessica cooking homemade Macaroni and cheese at Christmas time with Aunt Lynn

Cathy in her green sweater from Christmas

Right before Jessica left to join her new host family for the remainder of her five months; I presented her with an Ohio State sweatshirt and it was so much fun to see the joy she got from that — she loves Ohio State!!!–I actually thought she was going to break her glasses when she put the hoodie on–she was so excited to have it–this is a very sweet young woman who has a very quiet spirit; but is open for all new and exciting things to still come her way while she is in Ohio till June–I wish her only the very best of the best– enjoy the photos!! Darlene

Picture of Jess that Cathy took

Jess and Cathys idea of her in a movie poster