Program Reviews

I want to begin by clarifying why I rated "Safety" a 9-- It was more on us as participants than the program itself. We just always seemed to leave someone at the hostel before we went somewhere (we really sucked at counting off, I guess) but never at any point during the trip did I feel unsafe.
I ultimately ended up choosing Nepal because I'd never previously considered going there. I didn't know anything about the culture and I figured the best way to learn would be to go through a program where I would be guided through and truly immersed in Nepalese culture; that's exactly what happened. I went to Nepal the summer between high school and college and I firmly believe this trip helped me adjust to college life easier than I would've had I not gone. I flew alone for the first time, I didn't get the chance to talk to my family much due to the time difference and the lack of wifi, and I gained confidence in my ability to spend my money wisely and make other important decisions. Being away from the comfort of home and making "adult" decisions are some of the biggest adjustments of your freshman year, but honestly most of the situations I was faced with during my first year of college seemed easy to me because I was constantly saying to myself, "If I can do this on the other side of the world with very little resources, I can do it at college." Going 300+ miles away for school may seem far, but after being over 7,000 miles away from home for two weeks it seemed like nothing. I came home from Nepal feeling like I could conquer the world.
As for the program itself, there was never a dull moment. My group was small and we got very close almost instantly. It was very rare that we had wifi or other luxuries we take for granted here in the US, so we connected through games and actually talking; the friendships I made in Nepal are some of the most genuine I've ever had. My love of hiking really blossomed in Nepal after we spent four days trekking through the Annapurna Mountain Range. Although it took me some time for my body to get used to the food, almost everything we had was really good. You WILL have the best milkshake of your life in Pokhara. Get the oreo milkshake, the strawberry one isn't that great. You will see some of the most beautiful sunsets and landscapes on this trip. My favorite memory from the trip is definitely when I ripped my pants at the Peace Pagoda. I'm a dancer and I take a video of me doing a toe touch every time I travel, so I got this iconic moment on video to remember forever.
I have a pretty decent list of things future participants should know, but I will try to keep it short and sweet. 1) Buy a camelback water pouch because it's easier to stay hydrated on the trek with one. 2) Bring some wipes/extra toilet paper. 3) Be careful of who you touch, especially if you're a girl. It's not normal for Nepalese men to touch women they aren't related to, even if it's just to shake hands. Some will be fine with handshakes or hugs, but it's always better to ask! On a similar note, Nepalese men hold hands all the time, whether they are partners or just friends. It's totally normal! 3) If you want good views of the mountains when on the trek, wake up SUPER early when the clouds tend to clear. 4) Bring a decent amount of money and watch how you spend it. The conversion to rupees from dollars seems like it's a great deal ($1 was about 100 rupees), but things are very expensive in rupees; I paid around 800 rupees for a pair of pants. Also, the program does provide all meals, but if you want a drink other than a water or soda with your meal you have to buy it yourself and that can add up quick (again, best milkshakes in the world). 4) Bring a good raincoat. 5) Wash your own clothes. A kid in my groups lost 90% of his clothes after we sent them off to be washed. But on the positive side, our leaders bought him clothes so he was comfortable. 6) Even if you think you have a good tolerance for spicy foods, chips chili will set your mouth on fire. They're very delicious and bearable in SMALL quantities. 7) There will be scheduled power outages throughout the day and night, so air conditioning and lights aren't always available. 8) Even though Nepal is generally hot, it get's pretty chilly in the mountains during the trek so pack a hoodie and some sweatpants. 9) Do everything you can to not walk in puddles or in the rivers during the trek-- that's where leeches thrive and they WILL make their way into your boots. 10) Check the expiration dates on any pre-packaged food you buy, especially in the Katmandu airport. 11) Bring a battery-operated alarm clock just in case your phone doesn't adjust with the time change.
You will grow and learn so much about yourself no matter what AFS Global Prep trip you choose, but I feel the Nepal program is especially beneficial because the people and culture of Nepal are unlike any that Americans tend to be familiar with. This trip is challenging mentally and physically, but by keeping an open mind and throwing yourself into the program it will be so rewarding.

Hugging my mother goodbye is how I began my journey. It was like a scene of a movie, every moment seemed surreal. To separate yourself from your loved ones for 9+ months seems impossible at first but I found that with separation you are able to mold yourself into the person you want to be. I wouldn’t trade the world for the months I spent in Germany. Not only did I meet new people, I made lifelong relationships with people from around the world. When I reached the end of my program I was emotional, not only to leave but to continue my life at home as a changed person. If I learned anything it was that leaving is never a “goodbye” it’s a “see you later.”

Spent 10 months in Catalonia. My perspective of the world completely changed. I was given the great opportunity to meet people from a different culture than what I was accustomed to. I enjoyed the many friendships I made and will always hold the connections I made with my host family close to my heart. I always go back and visit whenever I have the chance to. I am excited for my host family to come to the US and experience the culture here.

Truly one of the most memorable and life changing things I have had the opportunity to experience. I lived in Germany for 10 months through AFS and although I had no previous german language skills I worked really hard and picked it up relatively fast. At the end of my year I couldn’t imagine leaving my amazing friends, my host family, the amazing culture and everything else I experienced in Germany behind. I was home in the us the next year and decided I wanted to go back. So I applied and was accepted and am now attending college in berlin and plan to complete my entire bachelor here. Without my exchange year in Germany I would have never known what an amazing country it is and would have never ended up where I am right now. Throughout my exchange year I matured more than I realized and genuinely felt as though I was more aware of the world and my presence in it. Wouldn’t be the person I am today without it and highly recommend AFS (CBYX) to any students considering a year abroad.

AFS India was good. We had trips organized for us to get a better understand of what India is outside of our home location. The volunteers were kind and willing to help. My year, the YES Abroad participants there were put in boarding schools, which I feel was a mistake. They have since corrected that mistake and Americans are put with normal host families now. They were willing to listen to the pitfalls of my experience and make it better for others. Altogether, I was impressed with AFS India.

I just finished my exchange year in Indore, India and I am already missing everything about my life in my second home! I was on a somewhat different program called National Security Language Initiative for Youth, so while I was included in all the typical AFS events and trips, my main focus was learning Hindi at my host school. I loved learning Hindi and spending time with the other exchange students at my school. As a gap year student, I was able to take more cultural classes (classical dance, art, etc.) after my Hindi class each day. I learned so much about the Indian culture so quickly! I loved when I started to understand Hindi--it gave me a much deeper understanding of the culture and allowed me to connect with people I would not have been able to communicate with before due to the language barrier. NSLIY is a great program for anyone who loves language-learning and wants to really get to know a different culture up close. It is for a truly passionate language lover, though. I spent 3 hours a day in Hindi class which was fun for me, but could be too much for someone looking to take a more diverse range of classes with Indian peers.

I am already looking forward to returning to Indore to visit my host family and friends! And, most importantly, eat my favorite street food, pani puri!

Let me start with this: in the US, AFS was pretty organized in my opinion, they were easy to get a hold of, had meetings for information, and made me overall excited for my study abroad. AFS Japan on the other hand, a whole nother story. Well, I guess it largely depends on what chapter you get put into. I heard the Tokyo and Kyoto chapters were good.
Now that we have that out of the way, let me say that studying in Japan was a great experience. I definitely broadened my horizons, and learned a lot of Japanese, which was expected haha. My host families were perfect, my school amazing, it was just fun. However, the chapter for where I lived, and where my other friends lived, not as great. A big problem that was evident is the lack of freedom and choice AFS Japan gives you, and the obvious favorism towards the host families rather than the actual students. Your liasion is the main branch of communication with afs, however some don’t do their jobs too well. I barely communicated with my liaison at all, and was kind of forced to go to some events that I didn’t want to go to. Just hope that you get a good chapter and a slightly bigger one. There are some events that only the bigger chapters are able to take part in.
Apart from the bad communication between liaisons and their students, life was pretty fun in Japan. Let me give you a big tip though. If you don’t like your chapter, you are able to move to another one! You just have to know the president or liaison of a neighboring chapter and hope they understand what you’re going through.
One last thing, AFS Japan will treat you like a clueless kindergartener instead of a learning teenager. They probably will have set up childish games and parties for you. Have fun.

A truly amazing time, I made amazing friends and had the time of my life. Sadly the actual total immersion part wasn't there, I was exposed to a lot of English while trying to be fully immersed in French. Other than that, the french class itself was great and the teachers and staff were extremely kind. I felt cared for yet independent and free at the same time. Would do again without a second thought, I need to go back to that city, I'm homesick.

Overall it was a great program! We not only attended Spanish classes but also visited new cities on the weekends, which allowed us to learn even more about the country and culture. I made many great memories with everyone in the program and also made some lifelong friends. The program was also well organized and prepared. Our mentors were awesome and they also helped us with our Spanish. I really enjoyed the experience and would really recommend it!

Everyone always describes their exchange as “life changing” but mine was life expanding. Not only did I learn to speak Spanish with the help of my amazing host family and classmates, but I learned how to cook, surf, *actually* relax, and become part of the culture. When I returned, all I could ask myself was “when can I go back?” One thing to take with you there and come back with, is to always be open for change and new opportunities. Costa Rica is the best place to learn to adapt, improvise, and overcome any obstacle. My favorite memory has to be getting out of school early and grabbing some surfboards, food, drinks, and heading to the beach on some bikes with my friends for the rest of the day. There are no words to explain my experience, only a simple piece of advice: just go already!