Daniel, from Spain, is an 11th grade student attending a high school in Pennsylvania. His host father, Greg, says that Daniel has become a member of their family and describes him as a thoughtful, energetic young man who seizes every opportunity that comes his way.
“He fully engages in life around him. He is definitely a participant, not a spectator,” says Greg.
Daniel enjoys his host family and the time they spend together.
“My host family plays a very important role in my American life. They are wonderful!” Daniel exclaims.
One of his favorite memories so far is a trip he and his host family took to Philadelphia over the Christmas holiday.
“We took a train in the morning, and we spent the whole day in the city. My host dad knows a lot about the history of the city and shared his knowledge. It was a ten out of ten day,” he shares.
Daniel is also making the most of his time at school and has a deep appreciation for high school life in America.
“In America, every school offers a ton of different activities such as clubs, sports, and even subjects. The school gives you the opportunity to find what you’re good at, and they help you improve in that area to reach success in the future.”
Daniel has been active in several activities throughout the school year such as basketball and cross country. He was not familiar with cross-country, but soon became a huge fan of the sport. He enjoyed the practices and eventually competed with the cross-country team in the district championship race last Fall, which was a special experience for him and his teammates.
“I have to say that my teammates are amazing, and they are the reason why my experience in this sport has been terrific!” he explains.
Daniel’s overall favorite activity has been Drama class. “I’ve always loved acting and taking this class has been amazing,” he shares.
In the first semester, he performed in “An Enchanted Bookshop Christmas.”
“It was such a satisfying experience. We showed everyone what we had been working on for months. The atmosphere created by the group was very comfortable and made the experience one of the best ones I’ve had in a long time,” Daniel recalls. Here is a brief clip:
Daniel is looking forward to starring in the spring play “Beauty and the Beast” as Gaston.
“I’m excited about this because it is going to be a huge production in both set and direction. Also, I’ve always wanted to be the bad guy in a play, and my high school gave me the opportunity!”
His Local Coordinator, Terri, describes Daniel as a fun-loving and very caring young man. She is so happy that he has enjoyed getting involved in sports and school activities, and that he truly seems to be enjoying his time in America. She leaves this parting message for Daniel:
“You have been such a joy to have at our school. It has been a pleasure to talk with you and spend time with you this year. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Good luck and God be with you, Daniel!”
Written by Flo Webb; Edited by Ann Steffen