FUN-FILLED WEEKEND IN ATLANTA

CIEE students Faby, Kristy, Giuli, Melanie, Jinsung, K and Jinuk, and Faby's host dad, Mark, and host sister, Randi, joined Jim for a fun-filled weekend in Atlanta April 12 & 13.  We spent all day Saturday at Six Flags over Georgia and toured World of Coca Cola and CNN World Headquarters on Sunday.  The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time!  The JP2 choir was in Atlanta at the same time for a choral competition and we got to see them receive a first-place award at a ceremony held at Six Flags Saturday afternoon.



The Ninja at Six Flags

Jinsung & Jinuk get ready to ride the Superman

Lee and Kristy (bottom left) at JP2 choral competition. Can you see Min Jeong?  Wow!  Look at that trophy!

The kids pose in from of coke bottle art before we enter World of Coca Cola

Assembly line at World of Coca Cola

Jinsung & Jinuk cut up at World of Coca Cola

The whole group at a CNN news desk

Jim & the kids outside CNN World Headquarters

OUR DAY IN CHATTANOOGA WAS GREAT FUN

On March 15, fifteen CIEE exchange students and host family members from the Huntsville area spent the day in Chattanooga with the Chattanooga cluster.  We took a riverboat ride on the Southern Belle which featured a delicious lunch buffet.  Following the riverboat we visited the world famous Tennessee Aquarium.  Finally, everyone had three hours to explore downtown Chattanooga with its shops, restaurants and galleries.  We all had a great time!




Jinsung, K, Jim, Giuli, Kristy & Bow about to board the riverboat









 

WELCOME JINSUNG!!!

On March 1, Jinsung from South Korea joined the CIEE family.  He is living with the Powers so Timo from Germany has a new brother!  He will be graduating from John Paul II Catholic High School in May and wants to attend art school in the U.S. next year.  Here's his JP2 graduation picture.

PLAYING IN THE SNOW

SNOW IN THE DEEP SOUTH??!!  On February 13 we had an unusual snow.  Everyone got a day off from school and enjoyed playing in the snow.

Jinuk from South Korea making a snowman with his host sister Mary Beth

Timo from Germany spent hours building this awesome snowman

ASIAN NEW YEAR PARTY AT THE POWERS'

On February  1, we had an Asian New Year party at our house and almost 50 people came.  It was a lot of fun.  We enjoyed delicious food that everyone brought to share, played games, had a toast to the Lunar New Year and just enjoyed one another's company.  Some of the students even played a game of soccer on our back deck!

FUN IN GATLINBURG

In January, we joined the Chattanooga cluster for a weekend of fun in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  We visited some of the local attractions, went ice skating and skiing, and enjoyed the indoor/outdoor heated pool at our hotel.

German boys ham it up at Aquarium of the Smokies

Students being silly on aerial tram taking them up to the ski resort

Students riding chair lift

Timo from Germany pauses long enough for a photo

Students take a break to wish happy birthday to Jinuk from South Korea (with his thumbs-up)








GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY

After school on January 9, several CIEE students, LCs, and host parents participated in an activity to learn about national and local government in the U.S.  We started with a meeting at Congressman Mo Brooks Huntsville office.  The Congressman's local staff gave us an overview of how the federal government operates and took questions from the students.  Touching on a number of topics currently in the news, including recent revelations about the surveillance activities of the NSA and the rolling out of Obamacare, we had a very tought provoking discussion.  Next, we traveled to city hall and had a brief meeting with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and had an opportunity to get a group picture with the Mayor.  Finally, we attended a Huntsville City Council meeting at which the president of the City Council presented each of the students with official certificates signed by the Mayor and each of the Council members.




Congressman staffers answer student question



Mayor Battle (center) and Councilman Showers (left) pose with students

Mayor has a discussion with the students



Students wait for City Council meeting to be called to order

Each student was presented with an official certificate