Program Reviews

I never really appreciated all the time I spent in India until a week or two before I left. It happened in a rush, while I was watching a performance with my host family. It was a traditional religious story, complete with dancing and singing. During a short break, we were given a blessed snack. I was lucky enough to receive a mango, a favorite fruit of mine. It was at that moment that I realized that I will truly miss India. I'll miss the unmistakeable, vibrantly colorful culture, represented by the many festivals, or even just the buildings and typical shops. Not to mention my host family and new friends, who supported and cared for me, giving me such valuable memories and teaching me more about myself than I could ever learn on my own. Every day that I spent there became something irreplaceable, and nothing can give you another experience quite like that.

While abroad a experience a range of crazy events that taught me to adapt and overcome. Once while traveling alone though the central area of my town, Rancagua, I had turned down a street I wasn't familiar with. I was approached by a woman who insisted on reading my palm. I had heard about, her type before. She was a gypsy, and I had been warned about them before, but I didn't want to be too quick to judge. I allowed her to read my palm knowing the next question would be for money or food in return, and I had about 3 dollars worth of pesos that I planned on giving her. When she finished reading my palm she ask for money, just as I had thought. I opened my purse to grab out the money and she tried to stick her hand in. I snatched it away before she could take anything and gave her the money to be on my way. She clearly wasn't about to let that happen and before I knew it another gypsy started to approach. I was frantic and didn't know what to do. My fight or flight reflex kicked in and before I knew it my feet were moving faster than my brain. I dart through an alley and onto a street and waved down the nearest taxi! I made it out safe, but boy did I learn. Always trust the wisdom of locals.

This program was fantastic. I loved living in Norway, and my host family was great. I was placed in a host family that loved to be outdoors (which was great for me because I am a really outdoorsy person). We would go hiking, fishing, and camping up in the mountains all year round. Not all host families are the same, and AFS tries to match everyone with a host family that is suitable for them.

Last summer I was given the opportunity to stay in the South of France for a month! It was the greatest experience I have ever had in my life. I made new friends from all around the world too! Not only did I take French classes, but I also explored France. I went to the prince's castle in Monaco, cliff diving in plage Mala, and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea! I had an unforgettable experience, including learning about different cultures, making friends from the UK and Russia, and even shopping in Italy! I highly recommend this program, even if you do not know French!

Going to India was an experience like no other. I met amazing people and experienced some pretty cool things. One of my favorite experiences was exploring the Udai Bilas Palace, which is located in Dungarpur, Rajasthan. A few of my classmates and I took a field trip to the palace one weekend, there we met the Queen and King and their young son who lives in the palace. Though the family no longer rules over anything, except the few acres of land they own, they still keep their titles. While the palace they live in now is stunning, my favorite part was exploring the old palace that was built in the 13th century. Abandoned a few hundred years ago, it is in ruins but the beauty and history can still be seen everywhere. It is five stories high, and with no warning signs or roped off areas in site we were free to explore anywhere we wanted. This was a new experience for me because most historical sites I've been to in my life are carefully monitored by a government or state park. My favorite parts were the elaborate mosaics on the walls and the beautiful views. The thing I found most interesting was a platform near the entrance used for getting on elephants, their form of transportation back then.

I went abroad with AFS in 2010-2011 when I was 16 years old. Today, I'm 21 and every single day I still use the skills that I learned on the program. I ended up returning to school for college in my host country and with the language skills I obtained, was able to travel and work in other Spanish speaking countries. I'm still in regular contact with my host family and friends and have even become a volunteer for the program because I believe so much in the quality and value of the experience they offer. More than anything it inspired in me a thirst for exploring new cultures and made be capable of surviving and adapting to any environment and situation.

From the moment I arrived in my host city to the time I boarded my flight back to the US ten months later, living in China was a rollercoaster of fun. While living and studying in Liaoning Anshan I was immersed in a new language and culture that gave me a new view on the world. My host family was warm and welcoming from the first day on and I felt at home during the whole year. At school I made friends that I will have for the rest of my life while simultaneously learning Chinese from fabulous teachers. Although there were some times when I missed home, the people around me always reminded me that I was at home in China. Besides school and family life I had lots of free time to explore my extracurricular interests. This included learning calligraphy after school, going to a gym where I met some new friends, and travelling throughout the country. If you have an opportunity to go abroad, AFS China should be at the top of your list!

AFS gave me the opportunity of a life time to live and study abroad for six months in the center of Milan, Italy. I made friendships to last a life time with people from all over the world. I also have a second family just a plane ride away. I am so grateful and indebted to AFS. They started me on my dream to travel the world and for that I am forever thankful.

The first day of high school was extremely stressful. I had a host sister and I was meant to be placed in her class. After about an hour of school I was told to go to the principal's office and speak to him with an English language teacher there to interpret. I had no idea what was happening but soon discovered I was being moved into the 4th year of high school. My host sister was in her 5th year and I was only a junior in the U.S. I was very upset but the English teacher said she knew which class I would fit in best. They had multiple students who were proficient in English and could help me learn Italian. I met my class and they were very excited to have an exchange student join them. I was the first exchange student this school had ever hosted. The same evening, I joined a few of the girls from my new class in a public square to chat and get to know them. We spoke mostly in English but soon they were teaching me my first Italian words. Puttana, which is bitch or whore in English, was their first choice and they told me to shout it as loud as I could. I am not a shy person, so I proceeded to shout, "PUTTANAAA!!!!" at the top of my lungs in a public location. Everyone around turned and looked at me like I was crazy. And the girls who were teaching me were laughing hysterically...doubled over, holding their sides laughing. We all became great friends and I realized that I was placed in the best class in that high school.

This trip was amazing. It was an opportunity that arose and decided to be spontaneous and go for it. Having the opportunity to have a host family for a summer was an amazing experience. It was a great way to learn about the culture and language in an immersive way.