Tran Hoang Thuy Vy, or as her host family calls her, Vy, is a foreign exchange student from Vietnam who now lives in Pine Grove. She lives with Ann Wolfe, and her family. This is Vy’s second year in the United States. Her first year, she lived in St. Paul Minnesota. “I like where I lived last year, but it was very big with a lot of people,” Vy says. “The crime rate was also very high and it was sometimes scary to be by myself. My host family from last year and I did not have a great relationship. This year, I really love Pine Grove so far. The people I’ve met so far have been very nice to me, and I like that it’s small and not as overwhelming.” 

“Even though I love living in the United States, it can be scary being an exchange student,” Vy says. “It’s always scary going to a completely new place with a completely different culture and a whole new language. You are also living with people you’ve never met before and going to a completely new school. Living in Pine Grove this year is really nice. The community is very comfortable and welcoming, but I wish Pine Grove had an exchange student program so I would not have to go all the way to Nativity everyday.”