Foreign Exchange Students 
in Novi and Beyond

Expand Your Family's Global Horizons

Mrs. Lynne Levenbach is coordinating the search for local families who would enjoy hosting a teenager from a foreign country for a high school academic year.  Mrs. Levenbach has been placing foreign exchange students in Wayne, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties for the past 11 years.  During that time, she has placed and supervised almost 200 teenagers representing 27 countries.  

Every August, high school students from all over the world arrive in America to begin an adventure that they have dreamed about for years. These teenagers (ages 15-18)  leave everything familiar and embark upon a life in a new country, with a new family, new school, and new friends.  They are excited and nervous.  They need loving American families with hearts open to welcoming them to share their lives for a school year.  

Some of our prior host families have traveled to their exchange student's native country and been treated "like royalty" by the grateful natural family of their exchange student.  More often students return to visit their American host family and the American friends they made during their high school year.  Students and families have formed bonds of love that have transcended cultural barriers.  During May of 1999, Lynne and her family went to Paris where they attended the wedding of the boy that they hosted in 1988-89.

When a family expresses a desire to host, Mrs. Levenbach requests information about the family's interests so that she can do a global search for just the right student for that family.  Sometimes an exceptionally outstanding application comes into their hands without a host family request, and Mrs. Levenbach makes a promise to seek the right family for that student. 

Foreign students' natural parents will provide full medical insurance and money to cover the student's personal expenses.  Host families provide a bed, meals, transportation to activities, and parental guidance.  In exchange, the host family will receive a tax deduction, a cultural education, and LOTS OF FUN.  Please consider volunteering to be an American family for a special foreign teenager.   

Couples with or without children, or singles with children, are encouraged to call now for information.  Mrs. Lynne Levenbach can be reached at (248) 926-4168 or email to LLevenbach@Juno.Com.

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