The best year of my life

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!!