Name: Yuming
Age: 17
From: China

Yuming is a 17-year-old girl who lives in Wuhan, China with her mother and father. She will attend Marist High School in January 2012 as a Junior. Yuming is active in her school through many clubs: Photography, creative thinking and dessert cooking. She loves sports and participates in swimming, running, volleyball, basketball and badminton. She also is very talented at playing the piano. Her musical tastes run from popular to classical. Yuming is an excellent student who is described as positive, respectful, diligent, well-liked, kind and gentle. She amazes her teachers with her competence and always is the first to turn her homework in. Yuming looks forward to being a part of many Marist High School activities, sports and clubs, while studying hard to prepare for college. She will love sharing her Chinese culture with her new friends in Eugene and with her new American host family!

Name: Zexin
Nickname: Harry
Age: 16
From: China

Zexin, nicknamed “Harry,” is a 16-year-old Chinese boy who will be joining the Marist student body as a Sophomore in January 2012. Harry visited Eugene in 2011 while on a school trip. Coming to Marist High School to study is a dream come true for him. Harry has many interests including basketball, wrestling, soccer, ping pong, badminton, guitar, photography, American movies, English songs, piano and singing. He is a member of his school’s volunteer group. He has a great sense of social responsibility. His teachers say that he is active, respected by his peers, optimistic, always willing to help others and takes every opportunity to improve himself. His biggest strength is communication. He is a good student who is diligent, honest, organized and can work independently. He would love to join the school choir and also play basketball. He is excited to share Chinese culture with his new friends. Harry looks forward to the opportunity to experience America through living with his new host family!

Name: Bowen
Age: 15
From: China

Bowen is a 15-year-old boy from China. He will enter Marist in September as a sophomore student. His teachers describe him as an outstanding and diligent student who is outgoing and makes friends easily. He has a good personality and is honest, active, kind and willing to help others. He enjoys basketball, tennis, badminton, street dancing, computer games, music and literature. He greatly admires his mother who instructs him to be polite, respectful, honest and to love his younger sister. Because she is a teacher, she accepts no excuses from him for problems at school but helps him to analyze them and do better. He hopes to live a meaningful life and learn how to become a successful businessman in the future. Bowen looks forward to his first trip to the United States, learn about American culture through living with his new host family, and widen his views of the world.

Name: Zihao
Nickname: Jackie
Age: 15
From: China

Zihao, nicknamed “Jackie,” is a 15-year-old Chinese boy who will be a 10th grade Marist student in September 2011. Jackie came to Eugene last summer while on a school trip. His trip was wonderful and he was able to truly experience American culture by staying with a host family who was patient and kind to him. He became interested in the American way of education and decided to return for high school. Jackie’s interests include music, painting and sports, especially basketball and soccer. He would like to play soccer for his new school. He has won many prizes for his school and for playing sports. His teachers describe him as kind hearted, respectful of others, cooperative, clever, honest, enthusiastic and energetic. He has good organizational skills and is a high achiever. Jackie hopes to broaden his horizons and enhance his communication ability through living with his new American family!

Name: Ming
Age: 16
From: China

Ming will have just turned 16 when she arrives in Eugene from China to attend Marist as a junior this fall. Ming is currently attending an American school in Virginia. Ming’s parents believe that she can develop her full potential while at Marist and have a wonderful life in the US. They say that she is a lovely girl who is a blessing to have in their family. Ming is passionate about her studies and her life. She wants to study hard to make her parents proud of her and enrich her life by becoming involved in many school activities. She has good piano skills and played for her Virginia school’s jazz band. Her teachers describe her as a joy to teach, always prepared, attentive, polite and thoughtful. Ming wants to become a successful person and make many friends during her time at Marist High School.!

Name: Tian
Nickname: Summer
Age: 15
From: China

Tian, nicknamed “Summer,” is a 15-year-old girl from China. She describes herself as adaptable, easygoing and helpful. Summer tries her best at everything she does. She enjoys American music, math, history and movies. She likes to keep active with volleyball, swimming, dancing and skating. She greatly admires a popular Chinese singer who overcame much adversity, never gave up and persevered to achieve his dreams. Her teachers describe her as gentle, kind, hardworking, mature, responsible, considerate and well-mannered. She is able to express herself well in writing. Summer is respected and loved by her classmates. They say she is just like her name: being with her makes her friends peaceful and calm. Summer is eager to share her Chinese culture with her new American host family!

Name: Yumeng
Nickname: Polaris
Age: 17
From: China

Yumeng is a Chinese girl who is 17 years old and currently a junior at Marist. Her teachers say that she is fond of learning, an active girl and the one who always makes her teachers and classmates happy because of her pleasant personality. A talented girl with many interests, Polaris loves painting, playing the piano and drums, and singing. She also likes playing basketball, snow skiing and swimming. She loves to cook. She has an affinity for languages and has mastered English, is taking Japanese classes and also teaching herself to write and speak Korean. She likes drawing Japanese cartoons and was the president of the cartoon club at her old school. Polaris describes herself as outgoing, interesting, kind and playful. She is eager to help her new American host family understand more about Chinese culture, history and lifestyle during her time in Eugene!

WHO CAN APPLY TO HOST?
Any household consisting of two or more persons related by blood, legal adoption or marriage may apply to host. At least one family member must be 25+ years old. At least one adult family member must be a native English speaker.

Previous host families have come in many shapes and sizes: single parents, families with teens, those with no children, young children, empty nesters, and grandparents. There is no such thing as a “typical” host family.

HOW MANY STUDENTS MAY I HOST?
Up to two (2) per home, and each must be from a different country. GPY routinely places only one international student per home.

WHAT DO I PROVIDE FOR STUDENT?

• Private Bedroom (not office or family room)
• Bed and Bedding (no air mattress or sofa bed)
• Storage Space / Wardrobe
• Quiet place to study
• Meals
• Transportation to & from school -- Most families drop off and pick up their student.
• Entertainment & Activities -- We encourage host families to include their students in all family activities such as concerts, movies, ball games, birthday parties, etc.
• Hospitality -- Students will appreciate your warm hospitality and genuine enthusiasm. They will enjoy becoming true members of your families.

EXPENSES
A stipend is offered to cover the basic, everyday expenses involved in hosting an international student in their home. The stipend will also cover meals eaten in restaurants and activities selected by the host families. Students will come with medical insurance and their own money for personal expenses.

For more info, contact LuAnn Langford, International Coordinator, at 541.517.5915.