GRSP Student Update
Thursday, December 29, 2022
By John Davis
Our GRSP student Thiago Simm had a very busy and festive holiday season this year! Thiago spent Thanksgiving with his host family Jared Eakins and his family. He got to enjoy his first American Thanksgiving feast, and shortly after, he got to watch his home country of Brazil win their World Cup game against Serbia.

 
After completing his final exams, Thiago joined our club for the annual Christmas Party at the Monroe Country Club. He participated in our white elephant gift exchange and received a pack of Christmas socks, which he was very excited to receive! Thiago then spent a week with host family Phil, Terry, and Jolie Lanier of the Covington Rotary Club. The Lanier family was also hosting Mateo, an Italian exchange student and friend of Jolie, during this holiday season. Thiago assisted the Lanier family and the Covington Rotary Club in spreading Christmas cheer by delivering over 400 packages to various underprivileged families throughout the community.l as part of the Empty Stocking Fund.

Thiago then spent Christmas weekend with host family Jared Eakins and his family. He received several gifts to help commemorate his time in Georgia and UGA. Thiago will travel to Miami with some of his fellow GRSP students to celebrate New Year’s Eve before returning to Athens to start the spring semester. Overall, Thiago had a fun holiday season, and he looks forward to sharing more about his GRSP experience with friends back home and encouraging them to apply for the program as well!