Eighty Oakland County families (including five Birmingham families) rolled out the welcome mat to YFU exchange students in the current academic year.  Can you enjoy this opportunity in the coming year?

Youth for Understanding is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization which has been placing exchange students for 62 years.  Right now, YFU is looking for some welcoming families to host exchange students for the 2013-2014 school year.  Here are just a few of the teens coming to Oakland County in August (until the following June).  Families provide a place to live and meals, plus encouragement, guidance, love and limits.  The students pay for their other expenses and become a true family member sharing in the real life fun and responsibilities of the family. 

Call Barb Kilkka at 248-932-0811 (Kilkka@yfu.org) to ask for more details on these boys and girls (and other students from 64 countries).  All kinds of families host from all ethnic and educational backgrounds, different family configurations with and without children at home.  Elementary and middle school host siblings are among the greatest beneficiaries of the program.   Here are just some of the kids headed to Oakland County homes.  Maybe yours?

• Natcha from Thailand is a school cheerleader full of life and enthusiasm!
• Valeria from Italy just loves to sing and admires all her family members.
• Soeren is a German boy who is a sports fanatic and a real “team player,” personality-wise.
• Kim-Chiara from Germany is passionate about volleyball and the little kids she coaches in it!
• Mathias from Denmark just adores golfing and basketball and going to the gym.
• “Gift” is a Thai girl who pursues art every chance she gets.
• Jeroen from the Netherlands is a guy who plays guitar and piano plus many sports.
• Nadia from Norway is a funny, caring girl with a talent for cheering people up!
• Kai-Brith is an Estonian girl with a love for basketball, skiing, and singing.
• PLUS many more to come (from 64 countries)!

Call Barb Kilkka at 248-932-0811, Kilkka@yfu.org for information about hosting and for detailed profiles and letters of these boys and girls or to receive the list of other students available.  Interested families can also fill out an online application at www.yfu-usa.org.

Plus American teens interested in becoming a YFU exchange student for a summer, semester, academic year, or gap year can also seek information on the website or by calling 1-800-TEENAGE