When our GRSP student Hoa Nguyen from Vietnam walked into the Atlanta airport's international lobby yesterday, there was no missing the RC of Dunwoody welcome committee - outfitted with  bright pink welcome signs and balloons - thanks to Dunwoody host mom Meredith Morris for the fine welcome! Meredith, our outbound Rotary Youth Exchange student Kiera (getting ready to leave for her RYE year in Spain), our GRSP Trustee Carter Stout, and Jackie Cuthbert (who welcomed her first GRSP student 24 years ago).  We whisked Hoa off to Oglethorpe University, where former GRSP student Shashwat Pradham joined our welcome committee and helped move Hoa into her dorm room.

Hoa starts Oglethorpe orientation today and heads off to Columbus on Friday for the GRSP conclave - a three-day weekend that introduces the class of 40 students from around the world to Georgia Rotarians, and provides some orientation to start the year off right! We're hoping to have Hoa at next Friday's meeting.

Hoa just turned 21 and will be pursuing a nursing degree thanks to a partnership between Oglethorpe and Emory University. When asked in her GRSP application why she wanted to be part of GRSP, Hoa said "Joining GRSP allows me to bridge divides between divrse cultures. I want to embrace the opportunity for reciprocal learning offered by the host family and host club. Sharing moments with a host family helps me gain a deepr understanding of American customs and traditions."

She loves to cook, to use storytelling as a way to connect with and uplift others, volunteering with underprivileged children, and hiking, camping and the like. More to follow!