Prologue
Adriana Hernandez-Moron was our second AFS exchange student. Both of our children were living at home. Kim, our daughter, was a Senior at Southwest High School in Minneapolis. Our son, Nicholas, was at home and working.
Why Adriana? After a wonderful experience hosting a boy from Belgium, Arnaud, the year before, we wanted to continue the experience with a girl from a different part of the world. Arnaud helped in selecting the person who would replace him in our home. After reading over her application, how could we not agree on Adriana?
From Adriana's application, we could see she was very close to her family. From the experiences of other families hosting girls from South America, this might be a problem with home sickness. This was never apparent to us. Adriana also seemed to be a very kind, social, and responsible person. Her writing showed a level of maturity and a willingness to be challenged.
These certainly described her traits.
Why Adriana? After a wonderful experience hosting a boy from Belgium, Arnaud, the year before, we wanted to continue the experience with a girl from a different part of the world. Arnaud helped in selecting the person who would replace him in our home. After reading over her application, how could we not agree on Adriana?
From Adriana's application, we could see she was very close to her family. From the experiences of other families hosting girls from South America, this might be a problem with home sickness. This was never apparent to us. Adriana also seemed to be a very kind, social, and responsible person. Her writing showed a level of maturity and a willingness to be challenged.
These certainly described her traits.
Adriana's AFS Application
Cover page
Self discription- page 1
Self description- page 2
Application photos- page 1
Self discription- page 1
Self description- page 2
Application photos- page 1
Application photos- page 2
Application photos- page 3Non-Application Photos
Adriana's Elementary School Pagent
Adriana's First Communionwith Zorida, mother, and Jose, father
With her dog at Cumana home
View of Cumana, VenezuelaArrival Day
Pictured: my wife, Mary, and our daughter, Kim.Meeting Adriana for the first time at his St' Catherine's College orientation site in St. Paul, Minnesota. We had this sign made so thatAdriana could easily find us among all the other students and their new host family's.
Adriana's new home and family in living room, Edina, Minnesota.Mary, Adriana, Kim.
Nicholas, me
Days of August, 1999
AFS Picnic, Roseville, MinnesotaThe first large gathering of exchange students with their new host families.
Lots of talk and comparisons.
Lots of talk and comparisons.
Renaissance Festival, Shapokee, Minnesota
At Minneapolis airport sending Nicholas off on a trip.First AFS Chapter Meeting
The Chapter is the smallest administrative unit for the AFS organization. Our chapter was comprised of AFS students living with families in Minneapolis, Edina, and Saint Louis Park. Andrea Starin Dahlman I was Chapter President.
Minneapolis AFS Chapter StudentsVladimir Klement (Czech Republic), Jon Hafborsson (Iceland), Nicolas Cabrera (Chile),
Gulden Alp (Turkey), Edwardo Canetta (Italy), Oj "Vicky" Wu (Hong Kong),
Adriana Hernandez-Moron (Venezuela), Sida ? /(non-AFS exchange student, Mexico),
Antonio Freitas (Brazil)
Fall 1999
Edina High School Homecoming ParadeWith ? wearing sweatshirts with" SWAGL"
(some secret code for women)
Raking fall leaves in our yard.The season of Fall and the cooling temperatures were new experiences for Adriana.
Kim's pet ferrets, Cookie and Sookie.They lived in Kim's room down the hall and smelled.
Halloween
October 31, 1999
Halloween is such a special time to experience the fun of doing new things, being someone else.
Carving pumpkins on our kitchen table with Sida and Gulden.
Dressed in costumes with their Jack-o-Lanterns ready to go"Trick or Treat" for candy are Gulden, Sida, and Adriana.
Our own "El Diablo"
Counting the candy after going to the neighbor's homes for Treats.Sammy's 5th Birthday
November 13, 1999
Sammy, Samuel Christensen, is my grandson from my daughter, Teri,
and her husband, Steve, who live in Minneapolis.
Sammy, Samuel Christensen, is my grandson from my daughter, Teri,
and her husband, Steve, who live in Minneapolis.
Blowing out the candles on Sammy's birthday cake.
Steve and Teri Christensen, my daughter, with Adriana.Christmas
Nicholas and Mary preparing for Christmas Eve feast.
Our traditional Christmas Eve Feast of hors d'oeuvres
Christmas morning, a time to open gifts.Bo, our dog, joins in the fun.
Our children: Nicholas, Adriana, and Kim
In front of the Christmas Tree
Christmas Day dinner
Shopping with Gretel Koppel (AFS Mexico) for bargins during after Christmas sales.Adriana loves to shop!
Winter
Adriana, the Nordic Ski Racer, for Edina High School.Who would have ever imagined?
At Hyland Hills Ski Area, Bloomington, Minnesota
The big race.Adriana came running through the door, saying she did not finish last.
We are so proud of her for participating.
She loves being with others out in the cold.
Relaxing on a cold winter's day.
Speaking at the Edina Lion's Club with Gulden Alp.
February AFS mid-year orientation at a resort in Northern Minnesota
Playing an old American Indian game, racing skis on a frozen lake.
Learning how to split firewood.
At AFS All-Night Party in Shorewood, Minnesota.
AFS Minneapolis Chapter Ice Skating Party at Centennial Lakes, Edina.
On the ice at Centenniel Lakes.
Photography class photo taken in her bedroom.Adriana had to also develop and print the photo.
At NBA Timberwolves basketball game.Sweethearts Ball
With date, ? AFS student from St. Paul
Sida, Adriana, and NicoAudubon Nature Camp
Sandstone, Minnesota
International Wilderness Weeks
February, 2000
Exchange students were exposed to Minnesota's North Woods
with hikes and classroom on ecology and conservation.
What a beautiful place!
Disneyland, San Diego, California
For Spring Break, Adriana, Kim, Mary, and I went to Southern California.
It's great to be at Dinseyland.
In front of the "It's a Small World" ride. It sure is!
Kim and Adriana on the beach watching the surfers.18th Birthday, May 6, 2000
Don't you just love birthdays?
Every birthday needs a cake.Making Hallacas
Hallacas is a traditional Venezuelan food made during the Christmas season.
Adriana talked a lot about it and how it is made.
Even though Christmas had long past, we set about making hallacas.
Adriana talked a lot about it and how it is made.
Even though Christmas had long past, we set about making hallacas.
To make hallacas, you need banana leaves (not easy to find in Minnesota), corn flour, and for what is called the Adorno,you need chicken, various spices, and hot peppers.It is quite a production, especially when you don't have a written recipe.
You then wrap the banana leaf up, tie it with string, and boil it.They keep for a very long time.
Now it is time to eat. One hallacas is filling.Some of Adriana's Friends
Adriana is a very social person with lots of friends and photographs with friends.
Below is a sampling of what seemed to be her regulars.
Below is a sampling of what seemed to be her regulars.
Gretel Koppel (Mexico) staying with host family in Minnetonka.
At Gretel's house.
Sida (Mexico), a constant friend and schoolmate at Edina High School.She was hosted by another Edina family, and was not affliated with AFS, although she did participate with Adriana in numerous AFS events.
Nicolas, "Nico" Cabera (Chile0 , hosted by our Edina friends, Ann and David Braden.Tended to be aloof. Flunked Spanish.
Very good tennis player.
Nico, with his recently died red hair, deep in thought at Nature Camp.
Gulden Alp (Turkey), Adriana's closet non-Spanish speaking friend.
Gulden stayed with us for two weeks while her host family visited colleges
with their daughter. Gulden also lived in Edina and went to the same high school.
Gulden stayed with us for two weeks while her host family visited colleges
with their daughter. Gulden also lived in Edina and went to the same high school.
Graduation
In graduation cap and gown
in front of our house.
In graduation cap and gownin front of our house.
With other graduates: Gretel, Nico, and Sida
Adriana pictured on front page of Minneapolis Star and Tribune newspaper.The article is about the teachers not attending the graduation ceremony because of a disagreement with the school principle over the failure to discipline some student atheltes appropriately.
Adriana was late for the ceremony, just getting seated as this picture was taken.
After the graduation ceremony, the students attend an all-night partyat the school with lots of games, prizes, and food.
Some decorations at the all-night party.Last Days
The last days before returning home were filled with many activities
The last days before returning home were filled with many activities
Last AFS Chapter held at our house.Each student brought food typical in their country.
Visiting Duluth with an AFS friend.
Camping with friend's family in Duluth.
At lift bridge, Duluth harbor.
Fun days with Nicholas and Gretel.
Nicholas' SUV for going places.
Good FriendsAdriana, Gretel, Nicholas,
and Kathryn (Arnaud's prom date from prior year visiting from Denmark)
Water skiing.
Meeting our nephew, Gregory Shuraleff (student at University of Michigan),when changing planes at Minneapolis airport
Departure Day
It is very hard to say goodbye to our wonderful Venezuelan daughter.
The picture says it all.
Host families and friends waving "Good Bye"as students depart for Chicago and their return trip home.
Adriana's Year
First Day of school, September, 1999
Washing her hair in the morning, November 1999
January, 2000
Spring, 2000
Graduation Photo, May 2000
Returning from shopping, June 2000
December, 2006Post Script
Our son, Nicholas, had a hard time adjusting to another exchange student living with us within months of our first student (Arnaud) departure. Sharing the bathroom and the downstairs living area with a girl, coupled with his initial distaste of anything Spanish, seemed not to affect Adriana. She maintained her cheerfulness throughout the early months.
We began to notice a thaw in their relationship. As Adriana continued with her friends and undertaking new, challenging activities, I think a respect began to grow. To our astonishment, the last month of Adriana's stay saw a whirlwind of activity involving Nicholas.
When Adriana left on the bus for Chicago, Nicholas drove his car to catch up with her at the Chicago area house where she was staying before her final departure. Then when he returned from Chicago, he said he was going to Venezuela to visit Adriana and her family, which he did the next month.
We began to notice a thaw in their relationship. As Adriana continued with her friends and undertaking new, challenging activities, I think a respect began to grow. To our astonishment, the last month of Adriana's stay saw a whirlwind of activity involving Nicholas.
When Adriana left on the bus for Chicago, Nicholas drove his car to catch up with her at the Chicago area house where she was staying before her final departure. Then when he returned from Chicago, he said he was going to Venezuela to visit Adriana and her family, which he did the next month.
Adriana has continued to be close to our family. She has visited us in 2006 before Mary and I left for the Peace Corps and again for Nicholas' 30th birthday in 2008. She calls periodically to tell us what she is doing. She has developed into a fine woman and we were happy to be a part of her life.
