Meet your Coordinator: Shannon Duncan

Greetings! I am thrilled to welcome your child to the Central Florida area.
home of wonderful beaches, the beautiful chain of lakes, sunshine filled days, and home to the best shopping the southeast United States has to offer.

My name is Shannon Duncan, your child’s Homestay Coordinator. I live in Winter Haven, a beautiful city located right between Tampa and Orlando. I have been married for 17 years and together with my wife, Brandy, we have a 18-year-old son named Bryce, and a newborn son named Jack. For the past nine years, we have had the distinct pleasure of hosting international students. To say the least, it has become our family’s passion.

I have lived in Central Florida since 1991 and would like to share a bit about the community your child will be living in. We have several great universities within a two-hour drive, like the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, and Southeastern University. We have several local libraries that are open seven days a week.

Both Tampa and Orlando are just a short 45-minute drive from the Winter Haven area. Tampa is to our West and is known for its rich cultural diversity in the Cuban market. It is home to beautiful beaches covered in silky white sand, Lowery Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens, and several Pro Sports Teams. To the East of Winter Haven is Orlando. As you may know, Orlando is the amusement park capitol of the world! Theme parks such as Disney World, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, Sea Life, the Orlando Eye, and numerous water parks call Orlando home. Did I mention, Winter Haven, is home to LEGOLAND Florida?

There are plenty of grand places to shop! Several shopping malls call Central Florida home. There are lots of great known brands to shop from, and most malls are a short 30-45-minute drive away. Coming to a different country is a difficult transition. I am glad to say that we have several Asian Markets nearby where they sell Chinese food to help with that transition.

The area is home to many great and delicious restaurants that your host family and I will be sharing with your child. I am looking forward to having your child come to Florida, prepared to have fun and enjoy the learning experience of a lifetime. My goal is to improve your child’s English and prepare them for acceptance into a major University. I consider it a privilege to open my home and life to your child while providing great experiences as they take this incredible educational journey in the United States.

Please know that I am available for you should you have any question. Please feel free to email or call me any time.

All my best,

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