AFS-USA Reviews

Hello! My most memorable story from when I was in Japan was whenever we went to my host mother's mother's house for a family reunion they were having. At first, it was a little awkward because I didn't know what to say to everyone after the greetings were done. And I think these were one of the experiences that in a way made me feel closer to my host parents. They knew it was a little awkward for me meeting all these people at once, and I felt that they really did begin to treat me as a part of their family from that moment on because they sheltered me and protected me as if I was a daughter of theirs and tried to make me feel a little at home just by being around them. My host father bragged about me to his father in law about me being bilingual already and how I was trying very hard to learn Japanese and was doing well in his opinion. And my host mother introduced me to her nephew who was closest to my age ( I was 17 and he was 19) and we went out to the garden her mom kept and all three of us looked at the different vegetables and flowers she grew and my host mother's nephew (keita) and I caught a few grasshoppers for fun. They both had their own way of making me feel comfortable and relaxed and I enjoyed the time we spent there. Once we got back home, their daughters Midori (14) and Akane(16) invited me to go to their rooms and we looked at the posters of anime they had and of Jpop stars they liked. On that day, I felt that the family began to open up to me. And I think a reason that also contributed to this was the fact that I always tried to spend time with them and talk with everyone. Even though I was no where near fluent, I didn't let that stop me from trying to make a connection with them. From them seeing this, it made it quicker for them to be able to open up to me and treat me as one of their own instead of just a guest everyone had to walk on eggshells around. That's what I believe is the key to getting a full experience, giving it your all no matter how frustrating the language learning process can get and actually caring about your host family because they aren't opening up a hotel for you, they're opening up their home to you.

The road continued to twist and climb higher and higher, as I sat surrounded by a language I barely understood and people I felt like I had known forever. It was my first day with my host family as we weaved up the snow capped Alps and I watched as I became a giant compared to the small world below. My host sisters and I were traveling to a camp high up in the mountains to stay the night, I had figured some camping was in store but I was in for the geatest surprise of my life. We arrived just in time for mass and as I sat amoungst the grandiose jutting rocks and sparkling waterfalls, falling down a peak right above my head, I felt as if I were in God's arms. Night fell and that's when the actual fun took place in Italy, the children all huddled outside and we prepared to play games. The counselers hid from the children as they searched to receive enough keys to be uncuffed from one another. I hid in the grass near a stream and looked to the sky and in that single moment saw nothing in the world except the dazzling stars that lit the night sky of the Italian Alps. The world that I lived seemed so minute to the twinkling eyes that watched from above. My study abroad trip not only opened me to a new culture but allowed me to view the world in a greater perspective that has honestly changed the way I see the world and its inhabitants.

My experience abroad in New Zealand through AFS NZ was amazing and educational. I was paired with a lovely host family and I had a constant stream of support, meeting with an advisor at least once a month over coffee to discuss any issues, and attending weekly AFS Chapter meetings that allowed me to meet other students.

I went to Argentina not knowing any spanish, and really having no clue of what i was getting myself into. I came in an average high school student, and came out a Castellano speaking, argentine model/rugby player with new FAMILIES around the city. I recently went back after six years, and felt more at home than anywhere I've even been! If it weren't for AFS, i wouldn't have met some of my best friends and favorite "relatives" in the world! :)

My time spent in Costa Rica was the best summer of my life! I was lucky and got an amazing host family. The people in Costa Rica are so friendly and excited to share their culture and learn about yours. I fell completely in love with the country and people. I became so used to the new culture that I had a hard time coming home. I didn't expect reverse culture shock to hit me so hard. I still communicate with my host family at least every week. I learned so much in 6 weeks and the support I got from my AFS volunteers was really great.

When you sign up for an AFS exchange program, you'll go through lots of orientations. And at every orientation, they'll tell you over and over how AFS is a life-changing experience.

After returning from a summer exchange in Argentina, I can 100% guarantee that's true. There's almost no way I can express how important this exchange was without sounding like a Hallmark card; because of my time abroad, I became more confident in myself, more culturally aware, and I've even made friends that I'm sure will last a lifetime.

I can't stress enough how amazing my time abroad was, but I think everyone should try living abroad at least once in their life.

Thank you for everything, AFS!

In July of 2015, I embarked on the most amazing two weeks of my life with AFS's inaugural Global Prep trip to Ahmedabad, India. My group consisted of myself, four other American students, and our awesome chaperone from the New York AFS office. I had the time of my life on this trip. My host family was welcoming and accommodating, the host school was the most inviting and friendly place I've ever been, and the people were incredibly kind and generous. My favorite memories include learning Hindi from a teacher who refused to speak English to us -- thereby forcing us to be quick students -- and being sent on a bus ride around the city with the other students from school to enjoy the magic of monsoon season. All in all, it was a life-changing experience and I only wish it had lasted much, much longer.

I spent my junior year of high school in Fontainebleau, France with AFS USA, and it was sincerely the best experience of my life. I got to learn French, experience something other than my hometown, for lifelong bonds, and broaden my horizons.

There I was, ten months into my eleven month experience, sitting around a table with my entire host family, who had become more like my real family, my best friend, Ninnog, whom I had met at my dutch school, and my mom who came to visit for the occasion. It was my birthday and I was about to receive the most exciting news of my entire exchange.

Ninnog was going on a trip to the south of France the next day and I would be going back home before she would return.

So there I was, sitting at a table with my favorite people, at my favorite restaurant as I was opening my final gift: the card from my host parents. It said: "Dearest Grace, for your birthday this year, we are taking you to the south of France where you will go camping with Ninnog to spend your final weeks with her." I instantly began to cry.

Now, that was at the end of the year. Initially, my host family and I had a rough start. My host brother detested that I was living with them, I was extremely homesick and I had to attend an all Dutch school, when I didn't know any dutch! However, I wouldn't have wanted the entire year to be perfect, because then, I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to grow. As I've gotten older, I've found that it was because my host brother detested me and because I was homesick and because I had to attend an all Dutch school that I can look back on the year and feel as though I had a worthwhile experience.

I came out of it learning how to better handle relationships. I also learned that I can leave home and it will not be apocalyptic. I came back to the United States fluent in Dutch.

There is growth in traveling that cannot be achieved elsewhere.

If you want to find out more about yourself in ways you cannot even imagine, and have a whole lot of fun while doing it, I urge you to find a program and seize it!

I was in Japan for a full year, and it was the hardest and most fulfilling experience, even now, that I have ever done. I had studied Japanese for a year and a half before leaving, and had extensive classes on culture and more cultural aspects of the language. Even so, when I arrived I still had considerable trouble with the language and culture. Fortunately, my first meeting with my family was with my host sister, who spoke a fair amount of English. That lasted for one day, before we went to Tokyo and she left me with my host parents, who spoke no English. We met in Tokyo, but lived on the west coast in a small fishing village. No one there spoke English, but my host family was amazing and we'd always have a dictionary on the table, so as we struggled to speak one of us would use the dictionary to look up a word, and doing that everyday helped me learn really quickly. School was definitely the hardest part of my year abroad. I had been placed in an honours courses at my high school, so all the other students were very focused on studies and I didn't make any friends in my course. I was also expected to participate in all school work, and I was graded on my math, chemistry and biology classes, and also helped teach the English classes. My host school was very supporting and wonderful, but the classes and work was overwhelming at times, and it was also expected of me to participate in clubs. This program is not for people who don't like challenges. I was very fortunate in my placement, both with school and family, and even so life was very difficult. I loved being there, travelling, meeting new people and getting to learn the language and culture, but it left very little time to relax. I would recommend this program to everyone who is looking for a true challenge and a wonderful experience that will make you truly grow.