WE HAD A GREAT TIME IN GATLINBURG!!

Mary and Jim took Lea, Sophie, Zoe, Lisa, Yehia, George, Yuhang, Oak and Alberto to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to spend a fun-filled weekend with students, local coordinators and host families from Chattanooga, Knoxville and Atlanta.  Activities included skiing, skating, visiting attractions and enjoying the hotel's heated indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub.  With almost 50 exchange students, we all had a ball.

Zoe and Lea on the ice



Yehia and Lisa on the ice



Sophie on the ice

Students toss a football in the indoor pool

Sophie and Lisa enjoy the indoor pool

Students relax in the hot tub

The ski slope

Some kids snow tubed (left)

George take a ski lesson

Yuhang, Lisa and Yehia pose for a picture

We head down the mountain on the aerial tram after a day of fun in the snow

GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY

Several of our students participated in a Government Activity on January 8.  We had roundtable discussions with staff members of Congressman Mo Brooks Huntsville office as well as Tommy Battle, the Mayor of Huntsville.  We also attended a Huntsville City Council meeting at which the local CIEE students were recognized with a presentation of certificates from the Council.

CIEE CHRISTMAS PARTY

 

Kelly and Rod Merritt hosted the annual CIEE Christmas party on December 6, and everyone had a great time.  All the students brought a dish (many made recipes from their home country) and the food was delicious.  Kelly made personalized Christmas ornaments for each of the students which were displayed on a CIEE Christmas tree.  We played Dirty Santa and card games and just had a good time visiting with one another.

CHRISTMAS CHARITIES YEAR ROUND

In November, several CIEE students and host family members sorted non-perishable food items for Christmas Charities Year Round.  This was in preparation for assembling Christmas dinners for needy families in the area.  Everyone had a great time as we worked for a good cause.

CIEE FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE REGION SPEND THE WEEKEND IN HUNTSVILLE

CIEE students, host families and local coordinators from several cities in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama came to Huntsville last weekend to see some of what our area has to offer.  With more than 70 CIEE friends in town, we had an awesome time.  On Saturday, we started out at the US Space & Rocket Center, Alabama's top attraction.  Most of the research that put the first man on the move took place right here in Huntsville.  Next, we went to the Huntsville Botanical Garden, home of the southeast's largest butterfly house, and enjoyed the warm fall day in one of the area's most beautiful settings.  We finished off the day at a teen block party on the square where we enjoyed live music, dancing and games geared for a teenage audience.  Sunday, we traveled a few miles outside Huntsville to Cathedral Caverns, where we had a two-hour tour of one of America's biggest and most beautiful caves.

Part of the group pose for a photo in front of the Space Center

Some of the students rode Space Shot for an experience
similar to blasting off in a rocket

 

We enjoyed Hidden Universe, an Imax movie that explores
the far reaches of the universe

Some of the boys at the at the Botanical Garden

Students explore the Butterfly House

 

Students enjoy themselves at the teen block party

 

One of the acts was an pair of awesome street dancers who performed to Christian music

Students enjoying dinner in a pizza place, one of several restaurants on the square

After touring Cathedral Caverns, students pose in front of the entrance to the cave,
one of the largest cave entrances in the world

FALL BREAK

Many of our students enjoyed time off during their fall breaks.  Some went on some fantastic trips with their host families.



Yuhang, Mary and George on the terrace of their 17th floor condo at Orange Beach  




Yuhang and George at the beach

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Yuhang, Jim, Mary and George on the beach



Kamilla (center) and her host sisters at Dollywood

Lea and her host family took a cruise to Paradise

The cruise ship

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Lea (center) and her host family dress up as pirates

 

Oak, Khem, Sebastian, Kylie & Alberto spent fall break at Disney World

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Here they are with their host families and friends



Sophie traveled to Indiana, home of the square donut, to see her host grandmother and grandfather



As a special



As a special treat, Sophie got to visit with her twin sister
who is a CIEE exchange student in Indiana



Sophie with her host grandmother and grandfather