Program Reviews

I was lucky enough to win a spot on the AFS Project Change Trip where we travelled to Russia and catalogued Udmurt Culture. One of the really special moments of the trip for me was sitting in Red Square with Sam, the winner of the project, and eating caviar in front of Lenin's Tomb and just thinking about how lucky we were to be in Red Square in Russia learning about a foreign culture.

During my year in Belgium, some days after I got out of school I would take a bus to the nearest city called Arlon which was about 20 minutes away. I would walk to meet some friends outside of their schools or walk to wherever I felt like. I could go to the market and buy a bar of Belgian chocolate and then walk up to my favorite church or viewpoint and just sit and enjoy my chocolate. It gave me indescribable freedom to be able to do small things like that with my time.

My experience in Italy was really a great one. Of course there were hard times, but also very many happy memories. I met a lot of people from all over the whole through AFS. I got to learn not just about Italy, but also about countries on every continent. One special memory I had was Thanksgiving in Italy. Even though they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy, my host family helped me make dinner. We went to the butcher and only managed to get a huge leg of the turkey, which barely fit in the oven! After that we all made mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn together. It was really special and I will never forget my host family!

While the Czech Republic may have changed significantly in the last 9 years, going on AFS was a pivotal moment in my life. This isn't necessarily limited to the country, but to the experience of stepping outside of your comfort zone as a teenager. AFS does their best to provide support in your host and home countries. The Czech Republic had great volunteers who cared deeply about the students. I ran into a few issues when I had host family troubles, but overall it was a positive experience.

My experience with AFS in Italy truly changed my life. The volunteer structure of the program was the most important aspect to me. I never felt as if someone was assisting me in order to get paid. Everyone involved with AFS, from the host family to to community liasons, are all doing this program out of passion. I will never forget it.

I still feel so attached to this part of my life and I got back from Brazil in July of 2011- it's been 5 years!
I wouldn't have wanted to go with any other company other than AFS. I made lifelong friends and shared my best experiences with a close knit group of people. I learned to speak very fluent Portuguese because of my small-town placement within 4-5 months. I still am so connected to many of my friends and host families there even though I have not had the opportunity to go back yet.
The program is long and Brazilian culture is so warm and close, you won't want to have more than 1 or 2 host families if you can avoid it. I went to private school, volunteered to teach English, got involved because of my AFS liaison. I recommend this to anyone that is looking for a very rewarding and authentic Brazilian experience!!

I went on this program last summer (summer of 2014), and I was 16. It was absolutely fantastic. However, I'd like to caution you that it could have been a terrible experience if I hadn't gotten so lucky as to get the best host family in the world.

Many of my friends who also went on the program were not well matched with their host families, which resulted in a bad experience for them overall. I don't think that this was the fault of the program; I think it was just because there didn't happen to be host families available that were a good fit for them. If you are considering going on this program (or any study abroad program, really) make sure that you are ready to explore the country and enjoy yourself even if your host family is not the most fun or interesting.

Okay, back to the good stuff. Finland is, in my (very biased) opinion, one of the best places for a teenager to study abroad. This is because Finns spend a lot of time alone and deep in thought. I really changed as a person while in Finland because of all of that thought, and many of my friends did too. We learned more about ourselves and became more mature.

I know that there are a few things that lots of people worry about before they go to Finland, so really quickly, I'm going to tell you the absolute truth (at least, from my experience):
1. Saunas. Don't worry, it's totally acceptable to wear a bathing suit. I always did. You'll probably wind up in the sauna with people who don't wear bathing suits, but it's not a big deal. Seriously, don't overthink it. Girls will be with girls and boys with boys, so there's nothing to be afraid of. Saunas are one of my favorite parts of being in Finland!
2. Weather. For the summer program, you really shouldn't worry. Of the 6 weeks, I was in shorts + T-shirts for about 4-5 of them. Finland does have slightly chillier summers than I'm used to (I'm from Michigan), but you don't need to bundle up or abandon your dreams of going to the beach. I swam every day for the majority of the program, and I was rarely cold. Just bring a couple hoodies and jeans in case.
3. Language. Finnish is hard; there's no other way to put it. But you don't need to worry! Frankly, you don't even need to know any Finnish in Finland because most people know English. Not everyone is fluent, but you will always be able to find someone who speaks enough English to be your friend or to help you if you need it. I didn't know any Finnish when I arrived and had no troubles with that. Sure, it would've been nice to know some Finnish, but it wasn't a big deal.
4. Homesickness. This is a bit of a problem, to be honest. I only got a tad homesick, but I've never gotten homesick before. It's bound to happen when you're so far from home for so long, and the time alone makes it worse. Even still, you'll be fine. AFS is great at giving you advice that will keep you from getting homesick. Trust me, it really works! If you've been away from home for at least 2 weeks without trouble, then you're fine for the program.

If you can't tell, I really like this program, and I definitely recommend it to most anyone. I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn't like the outdoors (Finns LOVE the outdoors), isn't open minded when learning about foreign countries, has had serious problems with being homesick in the past, or isn't ready to step outside of their comfort zones and enjoy themselves even if it's tempting to withdraw from everyone else. If you go on the program, my biggest advice is: be determined to have fun, no matter where you are or what you're doing.

I went to Japan for 11 months through AFS, and it was a wonderful experience, and I truly believe that I am a better person from doing it. It was extremely difficult to adapt to the culture and the language, and I don't believe that it is for everyone. I had no trouble with my host family, but some things that were done in their house shocked me, like the extreme gender stereotyping going on. Also, the school I went to was wonderful, but as an all-girls private school, it was difficult for me to adapt. On the whole, I think my view of the world has changed through my experience and I have friends in Japan that I would like to keep close to me. I think that everyone should have a chance to go to a foreign country and learn about the different cultures because more understanding leads to more peace.

I think about the experiences I had during my time and how they changed me and changed my views on life. I experienced things during my stay both good and bad that affected me deeply. Between the numerous bad times and occasional depression some would ask if it was worth it. But I would say it was absolutely worth it. I never had more fun, learned more things, or grown more as a person than I did during my year in Japan. I think the experiences that feel the hardest at the time can become the most defining aspects of our character. And I am only a stronger person for having gone through it. I think, in a way, that everyone finds something that benefits them from going abroad. Whether it be the relationships we forge, the knowledge we attain, or the lessons we learn, it is something that stays with us for life and something grander than ourselves that we are forever a part of.

Studying abroad in Japan is not for the faint hearted; the culture shock is very difficult, even if you are prepared for it. Every last person in my chapter switched families at least once, and we were often exhausted and homesick. That being said, and despite me feeling that 90% of my days in Japan weren't so great, the 10% of days that turned out well were worth it. I felt alive, like I'd conquered the world, I felt what true happiness really is like. I learned to open my heart up everyday and try again, and I learned how to love people even if they couldn't love me back. You can survive, you will grow so much, and learn, and become stronger. It's worth it.