Estelle

Age:

16

Native Language:

French

Interests:

playing the piano, movies and sports

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Estelle is a happy, curious and very sociable girl with many friends to whom she is loyal and faithful to. Her parent’s describe her as being outgoing, independent and caring of others. Music is an important part of her life as she has been playing the piano for the past eight years. She is looking forward to attending school in New Zealand where she will be able to try new sports, activities and subjects that are often not offered in European schools. Estelle is passionate about movies and has a dream of becoming a film producer.

Emmanuel

Age:

16

Native Language:

French

Interests:

playing the guitar, hiking, rock climbing and skiing

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Emmanuel is a kind, sensitive and witty boy. His parents describe him as being honest and straight forward, gentle, good-tempered and easy going. He has already been abroad many times and has fond memories of his experiences, the families he lived with and the friends he met whilst on exchange. Emmanuel plays the electric guitar and is in a band with his friends. He also enjoys hiking, rock climbing and skiing. He wants to come to New Zealand to experience a new country and culture. He would like to pursue a career in law or economics in the future and believes that he will gain a wealth of experience being an AFS exchange student to New Zealand.

Estelle

Age:

15

Native Language:

French

Interests:

travelling, playing the piano, volleyball, artistic pursuits and cooking

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Estelle is a determined, wilful and independent girl. She loves to experiment new ways of living outside the family, especially if she can meet new friends and try new activities. Estelle has a passion for travelling, playing the piano and is in the volleyball team at school. She also enjoys movies, photography, reading, drawing, painting and cooking. Her motivation for wanting to come to New Zealand is to experience cultural exchange, meet and share things with new friends at school and learn a foreign language.

Max

Age:

16

Native Language:

French

Interests:

swimming, volleyball, baseball and rugby

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Max describes himself as being easy going, active and energetic. He likes swimming and playing volleyball, baseball and rugby! Max also enjoys going to the movies, music concerts and comedy shows with his friends. He is curious about the world and seeing how different people live. Max wants to experience studying in a New Zealand school where he will have the opportunity to take part in sports, music and other activities that aren’t offered at his school in France.

Violette

Age:

17

Native Language:

French

Interests:

animals, horse riding, playing the piano and watching movies

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Violette has a placid, mature and easy going personality. She describes herself as being an understanding person and easily adaptable to change. She enjoys socialising with her friends and has a close relationship with her family. Her favourite hobbies are horse riding, playing the piano, watching movies and shopping with her friends. Violette also loves animals and her family has cats, dogs, fish, rabbits and a horse at their home. She wants to participate in an AFS exchange because she really likes languages and travel.

Irwin

Age:

15

Native Language:

French

Interests:

rugby, travel and watching movies

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Irwin is a kind, social and easy going boy. He is passionate about rugby and plays for his local club. Irwin also enjoys going to the movies, playing video games and reading comic strips.He has already travelled abroad on school trips to Lebanon, Sweden and the United Kingdom. He has fond memories of these experiences and has enjoyed learning about other cultures and traditions. Irwin would like topursue a career in engineering or undertake science research.

Malo

Age:

15

Native Language:

French

Interests:

ice skating, playing the piano and watching movies

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Malo is a caring, friendly and assertive individual. He is a former ice skating national champ and has gained many qualities from his experience such as hard work, determination, perseverance and endurance. He also enjoys playing the piano, listening to all kinds of music, going to the movies and playing video games. His parents describe him as being very easy going, adaptable and willing to experience new things. Malo is very keen to experience living with a New Zealand host family, meeting new friends at school and exploring our beautiful country.

Emma

Age:

16

Native Language:

French

Interests:

playing the violin, music and cooking

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Emma is a friendly, curious and responsible girl. She comes from a musical family and plays the violin in an orchestra with her sister who plays the piano. Emma has a close group of friends that she likes to go out with to go shopping and attend shows and concerts. She also enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends. Emma has already done a 2 month exchange to Germany when she was 14 years old. Her experience was extremely positive and she looks forward to a new cultural exchange in New Zealand. Emma would like to be doctor one day.

Athenais

Age:

16

Native Language:

French

Interests:

art, watching rugby, archery, swimming and badminton

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Athenais is described as good tempered, helpful and sensitive individual. Athenais is an artistic person who likes to paint and draw as well as being interested in art history. She has recently decided to become a cabinet maker and wants to be able to restore antiques. She loves rugby and enjoys watching it. Other activities she enjoys are archery, swimming and badminton. She is very excited to be coming to New Zealand and is eager to meet her host family.

Giorgio

Age:

16

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

horse riding, swimming and skiing

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Giorgio is a friendly and fun loving character. He enjoys horse riding, swimming and skiing. He has a very close relationship with his family and friends who are all supportive of his dream to participate on an AFS exchange in New Zealand. Giorgio hopes to learn about a different culture, meet new people and share his own culture with a nice host family.

Valentina

Age:

16

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

volleyball, basketball, badminton, tennis, rugby and handball

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Valentina is a mature, friendly and easy going person. She really likes sports and plays for the volleyball team at school. She also enjoys playing basketball, badminton, tennis, rugby and handball with her friends. Valentina also likes reading and listening to all kinds of music. She would like to take part on this AFS program because she thinks it would be unforgettable experience living in another culture, meeting new people and living the ‘kiwi life’. Valentina would like to be an architect or engineer who can speak four to five languages.

Virginia

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

playing the piano, swimming and listening to music

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Virginia has a bright, optimistic and witty personality. She enjoys going to the movies with her friends, listening to all kinds of music and swimming. She has been playing the piano for 8 years and practices regularly. Virginia would like to participate on this AFS program because she loves travelling and meeting new people from different countries and cultures. She has already been on a 2 month AFS exchange to Ireland when she was 15 years old. Virginia has such fond memories of her experience and wishes to continue her adventures in New Zealand!

Carola

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

swimming, music, drawing and playing the guitar

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Carola describes herself as being a very social person and quite extroverted. She loves cooking, listening to music, drawing and playing the guitar. She is also very active and goes swimming several times a week, attends the gym and likes running. Carola chose to spend 2 months at a military school in Milan. The experience was incredibly challenging and helped her to become more independent, well organized and disciplined. She has a passion for travelling and believes this experience will help to further open her mind through meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Francesco

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

athletics

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Francesco describes himself as being very determined, strong and independent. He is a talented athlete and is a member of the Italian Federation of Athletics. He trains for two hours every day and has qualified for the Italian National Championships. Francesco wants to participate on this AFS program so he can learn about different cultures, experience new things and improve his English language skills. When he finishes high school he would like to join the Military and become an officer of the Italian Army and graduate in strategic sciences.

Chiara

Age:

16

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

volleyball, skiing, dancing and photography

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Chiara describes herself as being a bit shy at times but mainly friendly and helpful to others. She enjoys playing volleyball, going to the gym, dancing and photography. Chiara also likes skiing, reading, listening to music and going to the movies with her friends. Chiara considers this AFS program to be a great opportunity to live in another country, to get to know new people and different cultures and to create new life experiences. She has a dream to become a heart surgeon and wishes to keep travelling the world.

Marco

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

travelling, swimming, volleyball, sailing, tennis and photography

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Marco has a laid back personality and is easily adaptable to change. He has travelled without his family before and went to the United States for two months when he was only 10 years old. Marco’s older sister has recently spent two months in Australia on an intensive AFS program. His family is very supportive of their children travelling and believes these experiences help them to become independent and mature young people. Marco describes himself as being a typical teenager who likes checking Facebook and hanging out with his friends. Marco believes “being open to new cultures and ways of doing things, makes you more open to change”.

Lorenza

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

swimming, skiing and volleyball

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Lorenza is a friendly and sociable girl. She plays volleyball for her local club, practices four times a week and goes to matches on the weekends. She also likes to go swimming, skiing and plays other sports with her friends. She wants to come to New Zealand to become a part of another culture and also see what school is like in New Zealand. Her favourite subjects at school are maths, biology and physics, she would like to attend university abroad so she can continue to learn foreign languages and travel.

Kimberly

Age:

15

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

dancing, acting and animals

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Kimberly is a pleasant and friendly girl. She is very much interested in performing arts; she sings in a choir and loves dancing and acting in the school’s theatre group. Kimberley also loves animals and would like to be a Veterinarian one day. She wants to come to New Zealand to try surfing and other sports, improve her English and become more independent. She is looking forward to living with a New Zealand family and making new friends at school.

Giulia

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

going to the gym, swimming and jogging

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Giulia is a caring, adaptable and placid natured girl. She likes to go to the gym several times a week and also enjoys swimming and jogging. Giulia also likes going to the movies and being with her friends. She went on a 3 week trip last year to the UK and had such a positive experience being away from home and getting to know a host family and a new culture. She likes to travel to other countries, learn new languages, meet new people and be a part of learning how other people live. She is really looking forward to undertaking this AFS program in New Zealand.

Natasha

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

dance, listening to music and going to the movies

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Natasha is passionate about dancing and loves to dance hip hop and contemporary dance, practicing these twice a week. She enjoys going to the cinema with her friends and listening to music. At school she has the responsibility of being in charge of the recycling. Natasha is described as a musical, fun loving and enthusiastic individual.

Gloria

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

singing, playing the piano, sewing and acting

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Gloria is described as an optimistic and friendly girl who loves meeting new people and making new friends. She enjoys music and likes to sing and play the piano. She also enjoys other creative pursuits such as acting, sewing and designing her own clothes. She loves to travel and has a passion for languages and as such has applied to go on an AFS exchange.

Eleonora

Age:

17

Native Language:

Italian

Interests:

Judo, football, the arts and theatre

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Eleonora is a studious and musical individual who has always wanted to go on exchange and stay with a host family. She has recently started Judo and likes the ethos behind Judo. Her favourite sport is Football. She loves reading books and listening to music. She also has an interest in the arts and likes going to the theatre, art exhibitions and the cinema. When she finishes high school she would like to study medicine with the aim of becoming a doctor one day.

Adrian

Age:

17

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

handball, sports and animals

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Adrian is a hard-working and ambitious boy who is open to new experiences and possibilities. He is passionate about handball and is on an Olympic handball team. He is good at communicating in English and has lived in Ireland for a year with his family when he was younger. As well as being sporty he is also an animal lover, when he finishes school he would like to study to become a biologist working with animals.

Guillermo

Age:

17

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

football, snorkelling and diving, playing the piano and saxophone

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Guillermo is a curious and generous guy with many interests. He likes playing football and is the goal keeper for his team which trains three times a week. He enjoys snorkelling and diving in the summer and playing the piano and saxophone all year round. He is very curious about anything related to the air and collects small remote-controlled helicopters. He would like to pursue a career in aeronautic engineering.

Silvia

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

film, skiing and travelling

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Silvia is a helpful, trustworthy and quiet girl. She has a great relationship with her sister who is three years younger than her. She likes watching films and reading and enjoys skiing in the winter. She is passionate about travelling and seeing new places. In the future she would like to finish school and study to be a teacher.

Sara

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

dance, tennis, swimming and skiing

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Sara is a funny, thoughtful and responsible girl who has a great relationship with her family. She enjoys playing a variety of sports including: tennis, swimming and skiing in the winter season. In the past she used to dance ballet and Spanish dance however due to the demands of her study has no time for this anymore. She is unsure about what she would like to do in the future and is exploring many different options.

Paula F

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

ballet, photography, cinema, music and reading

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Paula is a friendly girl who is passionate about ballet. She has been practicing ballet for over 8 years and goes to classes after school three times a week. Her other interests include: photography, cinema, music and reading mystery books. She has already travelled to some parts of Europe and America and is looking forward to her adventure in NZ.

Roke

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

music, tennis, surfing, hiking and skiing

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Roke is a creative and hardworking boy who is passionate about music. He plays several instruments and likes composing too. Aside from music, he enjoys tennis, surfing, hiking, skiing and going out with friends. He has already been on an exchange to Canada and is curious about what New Zealand will be like. He hopes to improve his English while on his exchange.

Rocio

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

playing the guitar, theatre, basketball and swimming

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Rocio is a happy and respectful girl with lots of interests and hobbies. She plays the guitar and even has her own band. She likes basketball and swimming and attends theatre classes once a week. She is well travelled and has a passion for learning languages. She will be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to speak English while on this exchange.

Paula C

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

dancing, theatre and ballet

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Paula is a docile and responsible girl who gets on well with her friends and family. She is passionate about dancing and theatre. She practices ballet twice a week and is preparing to sit her dances exams this year. When she finishes school she would like to move to Madrid to study dramatic arts in the RESAD. She hopes to become a famous actress one day. She is looking forward to seeing lots of different plants and animals in New Zealand.

Jana

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

basketball, tennis, volleyball and playing the piano

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Jana is a fun-loving, mature and responsible girl. She enjoys playing basketball and is the captain of her team. As well as basketball she plays tennis and volleyball and has been learning the piano for more than seven years. She is looking forward to this exchange so that she can learn about a new culture, improve her English and make some new friends. In the future she would like to study to be a lawyer.

Carlos

Age:

15

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

playing the guitar, football and tennis

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Carlos is a funny, friendly and dynamic boy. He likes meeting new people and practicing sports. He plays both football and tennis. He sometimes enters tournaments for tennis and practices three times a week. He is passionate about music and has just started learning how to play the guitar. He can’t wait to be part of this exchange and thinks that it will open his eyes to a new world.

Irene

Age:

15

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

playing the piano, theatre and dance

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Irene is a sociable, trustworthy and friendly girl. She loves travelling, especially going to the mountains to go skiing. She likes theatre and dance and has just started learning to play the piano. She first heard about this type of exchange through her brother who visited New Zealand a few years ago. She hopes to improve her English and become a little bit more independent through doing this experience.

Jorge

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

triathlons, playing the flute and football

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Jorge is a fun loving individual who keeps busy with school and sport. At the moment he is currently training for a triathlon. He also likes to play football and enjoys music, practicing the flute twice a week. Jorge is looking to forward to coming to New Zealand to discover a new culture and improve his English. He is also looking forward to the maturity and independence this opportunity will provide him.

Iker

Age:

17

Native Language:

Basque

Interests:

animals, horse riding, football, judo and playing the saxophone

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Iker lives in the countryside of Spain on a small farm that has some animals such as rabbits, horses and dogs. He likes to go horseback riding and like to ride up the mountains. He plays football every weekend and also partakes in judo. He also likes to play saxophone. He is looking forward to the opportunity of an AFS exchange in New Zealand, to be able to meet new people and improve his English and hopes to make many lifelong friends.

Aniceto M

Age:

15

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

motorbike riding, skiing, swimming and tennis

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Aniceto is described as a responsible, independent and adventurous teenager. He swims every day and plays tennis a couple of days a week. He loves to practice motorbike riding and does this with his dad and brothers. He is close with his family and they do numerous activities with each other from diving and fishing in the summer holidays to big lunches with all his extended family. In the winter he loves to go skiing. He cannot wait to get to New Zealand and is very eager to meet his new host family.

Olga

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

horse riding, skiing and theatre

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Olga is an active and cheerful person who is easy to please. She has been passionate about horse riding ever since she was young and has been having lessons for the last 5 years. She also participates in the unique sport of Horseball. She also enjoys theatre, and takes a class once a week, as well as going skiing. After hearing about her friends exchange to New Zealand, Olga was motivated to apply for an AFS exchange. She is looking forward to meeting new people in New Zealand and discovering our culture and way of life.

David

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

rugby, trekking and bike riding

Length of stay:

8 weeks

David comes from the North Coast of Spain from a town called San Sebastian. He is described as an extroverted and studious individual. One of his main interests is rugby and he practices this four times a week. In his spare time David is a football referee and he enjoys this very much. He is excited to be going to the “homeland of the best rugby team in the world”. David also enjoys trekking and bike riding and has cycled several stages of the Pilgrim’s Route known as “The Road of Santiago”. In the future he would like to continue studying and become a physiotherapist.

Sofia

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

the arts, athletics, swimming and photography

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Sofia is a creative, artistic and enthusiastic individual that gets on well with her family and friends. She loves anything to do with art, from music and literature to drawing and photography. She is a sporty girl and enjoys taking part in athletics and swims five times a week. She can’t wait to come to New Zealand and learn about another culture, different wildlife and landscapes. In the future she hopes to be a successful artist.

Mar

Age:

15

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

playing the piano and flute, the arts and photography

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Mar describes herself as an active, generous and responsible individual. Mar loves music and the arts. She attends a music school 7 hours a week where she practices the piano and flute. Once a week she also goes to drawing classes, she enjoys photography and loves reading. In the future Mar would like to become a doctor and ideally work for an NGO as she wants to work where she can help people. She hopes her time in New Zealand will help her mature and teach her how to communicate with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Lucia

Age:

16

Native Language:

Spanish

Interests:

basketball, going to the beach, skiing and snowboarding

Length of stay:

8 weeks

Lucia is described as an independent and fun loving extrovert. She is a studious girl who likes school very much. Her main sporting interest is basketball and she practices this 3 times a week with games on the weekend. During winter she also likes enjoys going to the mountains to ski and/or snowboard. In summer she likes to be at the beach and has even tried wind surfing which she very much enjoyed. Lucia loves to travel and as such is very excited to be coming to the other side of the world.