ICES Cambodia’s First High School Cultural Exchange Student to the US_ThmeyThmey
ICES (international Cultural Exchange Services) Cambodia is proud to announce Chihok Gauy as the first scholarship student to partake in the High School Exchange Program to study in the U.S. (Academic Year 2020-2021). Chihok is an active student at Aii Language Center and has recently completed Grade 10 at American Intercon School. After completing the English Proficiency Test for International Students (ELTiS), a general knowledge test and an interview, Chihok Gauy was selected to represent Cambodia for the first time in 29 years of ICES history.
High School Cultural Exchange is a unique program in which students ages 15-18 get to live and study in a foreign country. During this one-year program, students live with a host family and attend a local high school. Host families are carefully screened and interviewed to ensure safety.
They participate with the desire to share their homes and lifestyles, broaden their knowledge of other cultures and encourage better world relations. Students in the high school cultural exchange get to master their language skills, learn to become more independent, experience different cultures and education systems, and build friendships that will last a lifetime.
Chihok will be living with a host family and fellow exchange student from Spain in Edmond, Oklahoma and attending Deer Creek High School with his host siblings. On Monday, September 28, 2020, Chihok embarked on his first solo trip to the U.S. and he is excited to share the Cambodian culture with his host family and new friends and immerse in a completely new environment.
Since January, ICES Cambodia has been assisting Chihok to complete all necessary documents for the placement, U.S. visa application and interview and providing training and pre-departure orientation. ICES Cambodia will continue to supervise Chihok’s progress in the U.S. until the day he returns home in June 2021. We look forward to watching his growth over the next year. For updates on Chihok and the program, please visit ICES Cambodia’s Facebook Page.
ICES (International Cultural Exchange Services) Cambodia works with partners around the world to equip students to make informed decisions on choosing the best destination and educational providers. We provide quality service and ongoing support from beginning to end so students can achieve more than they ever thought possible.
For more information on the high school exchange program, scholarship, and general information on studying abroad, please visit our Facebook Page or contact +855 77 777 244 (Khmer) / +855 77 811 777 (English).