GATLINBURG WEEKEND GREAT FUN!!!!

We met up with our Chattanooga friends for a wonderful weekend January 22 - 24.  We visited local attractions, skated, skied and enjoyed the indoor/outdoor pool and hot tubs at our hotel.

GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY

On January 14 we met with the staff of Congressman Mo Brook and Mayor Tommy Battle and attended a Huntsville City Council meeting.

Students in front of Congressman's office

Students in discussion with Congressman's staff

Students meet with Mayor Tommy Battle

Students pose with Mayor at entrance to his office

Students wait for City Council meeting to begin

Students receive awards at City Council meeting
from Mayor and Council President

WELCOME SUMIN!!!

Sumin, our newest student, arrived on January 8.  From South Korea, she is being hosted by Michele and Benny Davis.  Please join me in welcoming both Sumin and the Davis' to our local CIEE family!

Jen Truitt, Sumin's LC, had a welcome party for Sumin at her lovely home January 10 and invited the other South Korean students as well as Jacob, a senior at Huntsville High where Sumin will go to school who speaks Korean and has been to South Korea.

The Davis' welcome Sumin at the airport

Sumin talks to LC David Ford with the
Davis' to her left and right

Sumin with Dae Kyun (left) and Jacob (right)  

Jacob, Dae Kyun, Kevin, Sumin and Emma and Abby,
Jen's daughters

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Kevin with his host sisters

Anna with host sibs/puppies

CHRISTMAS CHARITIES

We all got together at Christmas Charities Year Round, a local charity, to assemble Christmas dinner boxes for needy families in our area.  Everyone had a good time as we made a contribution to our community.

CIEE CHRISTMAS PARTY

Thanks Kelly and Rod for hosting our Christmas party in your lovely home once again!!  The students brought dishes from their countries and gifts to play Dirty Santa, and we all had a lot of fun!

Fitim and his host brother prepare Macedonian dish for party

HUNTSVILLE WEEKEND A BLAST



CIEE students, host families and local coordinators from a number of southeastern cities joined us in Huntsville last weekend to see some of what our area has to offer.  Saturday, we visited the US Space & Rocket Center where we enjoyed the IMAX movie, Journey Into Space, the simulators in Space Park and the museum exhibits.  Next we toured the beautiful Huntsville Botanical Garden featuring the largest butterfly house in the southeastern United States.  We ended the day at Parkway Place Mall where we had dinner, shopped and enjoyed one another's company.  Sunday morning we toured Cathedral Caverns, one of the most impressive caves in North America.



Students enjoy Space Shot, some multiple times

Group photo at Space Center

                                                              Monarch Butterfly in the Butterfly House

 



Two of our guests relax in the Butterfly House

 

Long from Vietnam, host brother JD, Boss from Thailand, Alvaro from Spain,

Trung from Vietnam and Fitim from Macedonia at the Botanical Garden 

 

Exchange students in front of mouth of Cathedral Caverns

 

Host families join them

 

Yuhang from China with his host brother and host mom after our tour of the caverns

 

Anna from China (left) made friends with two of our guests