Every year, Kinkaid opens its doors to one AFS foreign exchange student to offer an opportunity to experience an American student’s everyday life.

This year, students welcomed 16-year-old junior Livia Sander from Stade, Germany.

No stranger to the U.S., Sander has visited Florida, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and now Texas.

She is a ballerina, a member of her school’s choir, and she tutors French.

She is further developing her skills at Kinkaid by being a member of the choir, a JV cheerleader, and taking French classes.

Outside of Kinkaid, Sander has a passion for fashion and has been interested in the field for a long time.

“I feel like people care more about what they wear more in Europe and so they have better styles,” she said.

Kinkaid students are excited to have Sander as a part of their high school classes and activities for this school year.

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Q:   “What made you decide

to study abroad in the U.S.?”

A:   “I wanted to do something different. I wanted to explore and learn about another culture and language and go to another school because it’s pretty boring to always do the same thing.”

Q:   “What do you like to do

in your free time?”

A:   “In Germany, I do ballet, sing in the choir, give kids private lessons in French, but that is my job, and help in my church voluntarily. Here, I don’t have much free time in the week, but on the weekends I like to meet my friends and do things with them, like go to the cinema.”

Q:   “What is your favorite part

about Kinkaid so far?”

A: “So far my favorite part is the people who are all really nice, friendly, and supportive.”

Q:   “What’s your favorite

subject in school?”

A:   “The languages. In Germany I take French, English, and sometimes German and here, I take French and English. But, the

English here is much harder

than it is back home.”

Q:   “What would you say

is your personal style?”

A:   “I really like skirts but it’s

too cold in the school to wear skirts and that’s why I’m always wearing a jacket! I also wear a lot of T-shirts and things like this

(is wearing an orange and

blue-striped  polo-like shirt).”

Q:   “What are you most looking

forward to this year?”

A: “I am really excited to go to Maine with my host family in Christmas holidays and do a lot of fun things with my friends and going to school dances because

we don’t have them in Germany.”