MONROE - Seven years after she was a high school exchange student in Monroe, Patcharatida "Pink" Wongwilawan, Thailand, returned to visit the Don Amphlett/Jan Johnson family who hosted her along with their daughters, Katy and Allison, in 2006-07.
When she first came to Monroe at the age of 15, Pink knew that she wanted to learn more English. She joined the swim, basketball and soccer teams and made her way through her high school classes. Now a young adult, Pink has completed law school in Thailand, specializing in international law and is currently studying for the Thai equivalent of the bar exam.
She returned in May to the United States to visit her two Thai sisters in Minneapolis, where one attends law school and the other is attending an intensive English language program.
While visiting Monroe, Pink was able to spend an afternoon at Monroe High School and reconnect with her former teachers, Jan Douglas and Judy Bennett, guidance counselor Laurie Plourde, swim team coach Linda Moser and AFS liaison Michelle Kister.
The visit gave Pink and her host family a chance to reflect on the impact of her exchange year in the United States and to celebrate the young adult she has become. Host mother Jan Johnson's family had originally hosted AFS exchange student Ulrike Wagner, Germany, in 1964-65 when Jan was in high school.
For information about hosting opportunities with AFS in Monroe, visit www.afsusa.org or contact Lisa Hendrickson, Monroe, at 608-325-3805.
When she first came to Monroe at the age of 15, Pink knew that she wanted to learn more English. She joined the swim, basketball and soccer teams and made her way through her high school classes. Now a young adult, Pink has completed law school in Thailand, specializing in international law and is currently studying for the Thai equivalent of the bar exam.
She returned in May to the United States to visit her two Thai sisters in Minneapolis, where one attends law school and the other is attending an intensive English language program.
While visiting Monroe, Pink was able to spend an afternoon at Monroe High School and reconnect with her former teachers, Jan Douglas and Judy Bennett, guidance counselor Laurie Plourde, swim team coach Linda Moser and AFS liaison Michelle Kister.
The visit gave Pink and her host family a chance to reflect on the impact of her exchange year in the United States and to celebrate the young adult she has become. Host mother Jan Johnson's family had originally hosted AFS exchange student Ulrike Wagner, Germany, in 1964-65 when Jan was in high school.
For information about hosting opportunities with AFS in Monroe, visit www.afsusa.org or contact Lisa Hendrickson, Monroe, at 608-325-3805.
