This was originally posted on the US Embassy South Africa Facebook page

Our 2017 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program participants are off to the United States to spend one academic year at an American high school, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Very excited and a little nervous, these young adults - leaders in their communities and schools across South Africa - will be immersed in American high schools and live with host families in various states.

Khumo Mmara (15) from Glenanda, Johannesburg will be moving to Utah for the next year. She tells us she is most excited to meet her host mom, with whom she has already established "a great bond."

Jade Campbell (16) is from Westville is headed to Illinois. Her host family seems "very academically inclined" and she is most eager to be taking AP Psychology with her host brother.

Khwezi Somazembe (16) hails from Strand, Cape Town and is on his way to Colorado. He loves the idea of being able to participate in extracurricular clubs at his American high school, in particular the chess club!

Think you might like to give study abroad a try? Learn more about the YES program here: http://www.yesprograms.org/