Description

Honduras is known for its natural beauty and relaxed pace of life, combined with thousands of years of history and a promising future. It has the world's second-largest barrier reef, dazzling Caribbean islands, colonial-style towns, and a mountain interior on the west. Considered one of Latin America's best-kept secrets, Honduras is world famous for its archeological sites, including 3,000-year-old Mayan ruins and the mysterious rediscovered city of Copan. But you will discover other wealth: the people. They will want to get to know you and will invite you to stay and share their home or a meal. Honduran cuisine is varied as each region has its own unique culinary dishes (from seafood to fried plátanos, frijoles, and tortillas, and a wide variety of colorful tropical fruits). This means you'll learn quickly that sharing mealtimes with your family is an important part of daily life. And you'll come to recognize the beautiful flag that can be seen in Independence parades, local celebrations or carnivals, and soccer games. AFS host family placements are located throughout Honduras.

Highlights

GAP Year and Semester Programs:

The GAP Year program gives you the opportunity to share in and contribute to the life of a community in Honduras by living and working alongside its members in a community-based service organization. Past participants worked in suburban or rural communities for social and environmental organizations. Participants are placed according to their abilities and interests while respecting the needs of the hosting organizations. You will have an arrival orientation, and then for two weeks you will receive 40 hours of Spanish lessons. Then you will travel to your host communities to be welcomed by the local volunteers and your host family. AFSers are placed in volunteer host families located throughout Honduras.

As for the Semester program, students will go directly to their host family after orientation and attend a local school. Depending on what grade you are placed in, you may also be required to do community service with the school. Honduran schools customarily have seniors do community service within their town. The families and schools could be anywhere in Honduras based on what families volunteer to host AFS students.

Qualifications

- Be within the program age range at the start of the program. Refer to website.
- Have a minimum 2.8 GPA
- Be in good mental, physical and emotional health.

Languages

• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Refer to AFS-USA Website

Cost Includes:

• International travel
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Pre-departure orientation/Training

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Age Range

18 and above

This Program is open to

American Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Application Process Involves

• In-Person Interview Required
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

varies

AFS Intercultural Programs/USA's Mission Statement

AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. AFS Intercultural Programs is a leader in intercultural learning and offers international exchange programs in over 50 countries around the world through independent, not-for-profit AFS organizations, each with a network of volunteers, a professionally staffed office, and headed up by a volunteer board.

Year Founded

1947