EF High School Exchange Year - Denver, Colorado

Lisa van Bekkum

I was part of EF class of 22. I’ve had the best year of my life. EF supported me from the beginning. Before my exchange year there were a lot of online webinars and some other meetings to meet the other exchange students?There was also a lot of support during my exchange year. My IEC (coordinater) was always there for me. There was also support for my parents back home. There was a 24/7 number that they were able to call of they have questions or in case of an emergency and sometimes they just checked in with my parents if everything was okay. There is also a fun ambassador program with great opportunities! If i had the chance to do it all over again, I would!!!!! It’s an once in a lifetime opportunity, so if you have to chance do it!!! I can even say that i have a second family! Go to an information meeting and if it feels good, apply to the program and EF will give you the best year ever?

Lewis Field

Mein Auslandsjahr in einer amerikanischen Highschool war die beste Entscheidung die ich je getroffen habe. Ich kann jedem ein Auslandsjahr mit EF weiterempfehlen weil sie sich um alles kümmern im vorhinein aber auch inland und für dich da sind falls es Probleme gibt. Dieses Jahr hat mir andere Kulturen und Lebensweisen gezeigt. Durch dieses Jahr hat sich mein englisch sehr verbessert und ich bin auch sehr stark gewachsen dadurch, dass ich gelernt hab das ich viel zu viel angst hatte vor kleinen sachen und diese angst jetzt überwunden habe. Auch ein großer part war sport und freunde, da die Highschools sehr viele sport Angebote hat ist das auch ein guter weg Freunde zu finden und nicht die ganze zeit zu hause zu sein. Die Feiertage werden hier auch viel größer gefeiert als in Deutschland aber es ist sehr schön. Also ein Highschool Jahr egal ob es ein halbes oder ein ganzes Jahr ist ihr solltet es machen.

Lilly Steyer

Ich bin mehr als zufrieden mit EF, ich bin gerade in meinem Auslandsjahr in Californien und kann es jedem nur ans Herz legen man hat so viele Vorteile durch ein Auslandsjahr, man lernt neue Kulturen kennen und macht viele neue freunde.EF hilft einem bei der Organisation sehr viel und man kriegt Unterstützung beim Visa. Dadurch dass man sehr viele Fragen beantwortet bekommt man eine Gastfamilie die einem ähnlich ist und den Anforderungen meistens entspricht. Ich finde dass Auslandsjahr ist eine perfekte Chance um aus seiner comfort Zone herauszukommen und eine Sprache zu festigen .

Angela Maisto

I was part of EF Class of '23 and spent 10 months in California. I'd choose EF again because I loved their program, especially the ambassador program. It's a great way to bond with other exchange students to create lifelong relationships. Also, getting to spend three days in New York before departing to go to my host State was really nice! During my exchange year I grew as a person, becoming more independent, mature and open-minded. That's why I would recommend this experience to every student!

Michelle Rhoads. Harris

I have been hosting exchange students since 2010. My daughter was 2 when we had our first exchange son in our home. She has grown up with over 20 exchange siblings and has big brothers and sisters all over the world. These teens come into your home as strangers but leave as family forever in your heart. I'm so glad I answered that ad that summer day in 2010. It has changed our lives tremendously!

Alberto Tardon Bermejo

I was part of class of '20 and I had an incredible experience. I recommend EF because they were there for me at any time, thanks to that I was able to grow as a person, I became more mature and learned how to solve problems without my parents help. Finally I fulfilled my dreams, I lived for a year in United States. I chose EF because of the support and most important the fact I became part of the EF family and 4 years later I am still going to EF events and meetings with students talking about our experience.

Laurel Lawrence

Our family has hosted 9 students from 7 different countries since 2018. 7 of those students being through the EF High School Exchange Year. Sadly after our experience with this organization this past year we will no longer be hosting with EF.

The majority of our students we consider to be our own kids and part of our own family. We plan to travel and visit them as we are able. We continue to stay in touch after their arrival home.

The last 3 students were received from the program were absolutely unacceptable for a variety of reasons.

One student we hosted from Germany snubbed everything our daughter had to say to her. She cared a lot about her appearance and boys. We went on many trips with her and received no thank yous which can wear on you after awhile. We took her to Disney and the “thought the castle would be bigger.”

Towards the end of the year she thought it was ok to have a boyfriend in her room with the door closed in our house. Being an only child and this being her first boyfriend her parents did not have rules or boundaries at home. She continued to ask if she could sleep at her boyfriend’s house. At the same time was failing her classes. She wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to participate in graduation until the day her parent’s showed up from Germany. Overall her pushing the boundaries with her boyfriend was embarrassing and challenging, right up to the day she went home with her parents.

We received 2 students for the 2023-2024 school year. Both did not speak any English to start off with coming from Asian countries, Korea and Japan.

The Korean student spent the entire year with us and did not speak to us. She was sent several warning letters throughout the year and EF did not send her home. It was a miserable year for everyone involved. Instead of leaving us a thank you letter when she left, she left us a card with money in it to “send her things home” which didn’t even cover a small box. She left her room a disaster that took us an entire day to clean.

The other student from Japan did want to have some interaction with us but could not understand directions or rules. This resulted in her getting in an accident resulting in a concussion 3 weeks into her exchange year before school even started.

This resulted this situation consuming our entire lives for 2 months. Driving to the hospital during her stay, arranging for her mom (who also didn’t speak English) to come to the US. Providing food, transportation and housing for the both of them. The student and the mom wanted her to stay and EF would not let her continue her exchange year against everyone’s wishes.

EF staff (a lady by the name of Amber) dealt with this situation completely unprofessionally without any compassion. This resulted in anger and emotions on our side, the student and her mom. EF forced her to return to home. After returning home and being cleared medically she requested that EF send her back to the US. The Japan office told her that she did not have host family acceptance, which was NOT the case. They told us that EF would not sponsor her visa and would also not be giving her a refund for the experience. What a total loss for everyone involved.

EF told us that they could “see what they could do” regarding the expenses and stress we endured during this time. They sent us a very very small check that didn’t even cover what we went through.

When EF “sells” these kids to American families they say they come with their own insurance, spending money and speak English. These students are a liability to families if they get hurt when you are their guardian.

If we decide to host in the future, we will be choosing a program that screens their students properly and that requires their students to pay their own way. NOT EF EXCHANGE YEAR.

Alessandro Ceschi

I was part of the EF class of 2023 for my exchange year in the United States. I spent 11 months with an amazing host family in Tucson, Arizona. I loved every single moment of my experience, that ultimately changed me so much. Not only I became more independent but also way more confident, making plenty of friends.
I would definitely choose EF again as their team ended up being extremely supportive throughout the whole year, and especially at the beginning of the experience. When I first got to the US, especially in the first weeks, I experienced some homesickness. I immediately contacted the EF staff which, right away, put me in contact with a member of their team. I would recommend this experience to everyone that wants to get out of their comfort zone and their daily routines, it's going to change your life!