Maureen's Experience

I have heard the quote, “We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.” I think this quote exemplifies the how I feel about the bringing of Kelly and the rest of the South African students into my life. Hosting a student from South Africa has taught me many amazing things. It has taught me that the Fourth of July is ONLY an American holiday, many facts about living in their country, the food they eat, the words they say, and so much more. I was so blessed to be picked to host Kelly for the past week. 

When they arrived, I had yet to talk to her or hear her voice. We texted but never actually talked. The awkward beginning was inevitable yet so exciting. As soon as they came up I saw Kelly and was jumping up and down (good first impression, I know). I was ready to wear her out and she was up for it which made this week very exciting. The first day we went to the Cardinals game and Blues game. It was a lot after a 17+ hour plane ride but I wanted her to get the full St. Louis experience. Needless to say, we went to bed before eight o’clock the next night. The rest of the trip we hung out with friends, ate, shopped, and ate some more. I got to show Kelly the place I live and my favorite things to do here. 

One moment in particular that stuck out to me was going on a picnic in Forest Park. There was a lot of traffic that day and we were having a hard time finding a parking spot, soon enough we found one. As we walked to Art Hill our stomachs growled and minds raced about the anticipation of the sandwiches we would soon devour. Once we got there, it was exactly like I had hoped. A beautiful sight, with an amazing new friend, eating wonderfully delicious food. This was one of my favorite memories with Kelly, besides all of the many times she fell asleep in the seat of my car. I felt so fortunate to get to know Kelly and learn more about her culture. When it was time to say goodbye, we had a hard time. Many hugs and tears (@my mom) later, it was time for Kelly to leave. I grew close to her over the span of those days and was heartbroken to see her go. Overall this was an amazing experience and I was so blessed that I got to know such a kind, open, fun, and wonderful person like her.

Haley's Experience

I am so thankful to be a part of Ursuline's Global Education program. Hosting Agathe for the past two weeks has been so amazing. The age and culture difference were no barriers for us, because we were more alike than I could have expected. From family life to social activities, I was paired with the perfect match. She has become more than just a "match" to me; she has become a good friend.


We had so much fun throughout the time she was here. We went to Chicago the first weekend she was here. The weather was crazy, and we ended up making a joke about it for the rest of the trip. When we got to Chicago it was snowing, but twenty minutes later the skies would be clear and there would be full sun. This constantly switched off for the rest of the day. (In Nantes it doesn't snow, so she was excited to be able to see it in person). We visited the bean and Willis Tower, as well as shopped for hours on end. We were able to take her to a Blues game and opening day at Busch Stadium to watch the Cardinals (bringing home wins for both games!).

My family and I immersed her in the American culture the one way we knew how: food. She had her first "breakfast for dinner" with us, which included pancakes, sausage, and fruit. We took her to Fritz's Frozen Custard so she could have her first concrete. And of course, we had burgers and ribs. We took her to Favazza's on the Hill for real Italian food, included Saint Louis' famous toasted ravioli.


Honestly though, the simple car rides to and from school and the dinner time conversations are what I am going to miss the most. I will miss not having someone to laugh with on the way to school and not hearing about her field trips during the day at school. Time flew by so quickly, but I will always cherish the moments I was able to spend with Agathe.


-Haley Stelzer-Monahan, '16

Paige's Experience

I had a fantastic time getting to know Chantal. We had many great and fun memories. From going out on adventures like sky zone, to just simple rides in the car I got to learn about her life, her story, and her culture. My favorite memory with Chantal was our adventure to sky zone. We got to jump on trampolines falling, running, and flipping. We got to jump into ball pits and get stuck, as well as playing an intense game of dodgeball French VS Americans. I loved getting to spend time with her and hear about her day on our way back from school everyday. Car rides can be long and boring, but it was always fun to learn something new about her or sing with her. I also had a great time at the Blues game with Chantal. I loved seeing how she got into the game and was cheering them on as if she was at home. I loved this experience and this opportunity and hope to be able to do this again.

-Paige Kreher, '18

Madison's Experience

Having Aymeric stay at my house these past two weeks was absolutely amazing. There was nothing that I would have changed or done differently from the whole experience. One of my favorite parts of the past two weeks was on Friday night when we threw him a surprise party for his birthday. He had so much fun that night and I am very glad that I had the opportunity to do something that made his day better. I think that his favorite part of the trip was when a bunch of us took them all to the Blues game. He loves sports and he was cheering the whole night! It was fun to get to know all of the french students during all of the time we spent together outside of school. We all made connections to one another and they all made a huge impact on my life. I already miss our morning jam sessions to every song on the radio and his intense Fifa games with my little brother. I am very grateful that I got the opportunity to host Aymeric and I hope that I will see him very soon!

-Madison Grisham, '16

Melanie's Experience

I'm Melanie Burton and I hosted Morgane David.

It was amazing hosting her.. We took them to the Blues game one night, something they thought was
absolutely awesome. We went to dinner some nights with my family and other nights we ate home made meals. We went bowling and to Skyzone, both very excited experiences. We introduced Morgane to Ted Drewes,The Malt Shop, Dairy Queen, Imos, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Buffalo Wild Wings. The rest of the days were spent with family or with the other French students and their host students.

I loved getting to know all of the French students and becoming so close to them. I have made many new best friends, some that I will keep for a lifetime. Morgane and I grew especially close, and that is something I can never be thankful enough for. I can truly say that Morgane and the other French students have impacted my life greatly. I will never forget my short 2 weeks with them, it was one of the best experiences I've had.

-Melanie Burton, '16