High School Student Exchange Programs Abroad

In 1965 we in the US had a negative view of Germans. Immersing myself in their language and world helped me see them as wonderful people, full of strength and resilience. I also learned a perspective from outside our own limited experience. AFS takes you to another level of humanity.

My junior year of high school was single handedly the most impactful experience of my life. The lessons I learned throughout that year I take with me in everything I do. At 15 years old, I spent the school year abroad as an exchange student with AFS-USA. Before getting on the plane to Bangkok I had a thought, I was traveling thousands of miles to live in a new country, with a new family, to go to a new school and I didn’t even know how to say ‘hello’ in their language. Fast forward to the end of my year abroad. I was now 16 and I no longer needed my Thai-English dictionary to communicate, I navigated the Bangkok streets with confidence. I built relationships in my community with the bus drivers, 7-Eleven workers, and market vendors that I would encounter daily. Thinking back I can remember how many people told me about how scary the world is. How many “bad things” can happen, especially to a young Black girl like myself. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to the naysayers. My experience with AFS introduced me to an amazing host family who I’m still very close with despite it being 15 years since my exchange year. I made lifelong friends with the other students on the same program as me. After returning to the US I got my first job working at a Thai restaurant. I’ve maintained my Thai language skills, and after my year abroad I haven’t viewed the world the same. Yes, I was nervous to go abroad. Yes, I was the only Black person in my home, school, and community in Thailand. And yes, I missed my family and friends. But one year truly goes by in the blink of an eye and if I let the nerves, anxiety and fear of missing out hold me back, I would still probably be in my hometown, still nervous and still letting fear of the unknown stop me. I recommend studying abroad to anyone that is even a tiny bit curious. And I especially recommend the year abroad in Thailand. The culture, the food, the language and the people are unmatched and as someone who has traveled all over the world to nearly 40 countries, Thailand is still my favorite. And my year abroad with AFS to Thailand was an incredible one that I still talk about to this day!

Studying abroad in Japan in 2008 was one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my life. Looking back nearly 20 years later, I can honestly say it was an opportunity that helped shape my perspective on the world and gave me memories that have stayed with me ever since. It was a time where Google Translate, smartphones and YouTube were in their infancy. I accessed my host family's computer once a week to give my friends and family email updates, if I wasn't busy having fun! And there was a huge language barrier with my host family, they didn't know much English and I didn't know much Japanese, my host cousin would occasionally come after work to assist with translation but that is one of the things I appreciated most about the experience was being immersed in a culture in this way. From the food and traditions to the people and everyday way of life, there was always something new to experience. I enjoyed having the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, getting lost on my way to school, explore unfamiliar places, and gain a better understanding of Japanese culture beyond what I could have learned in a classroom. What made the trip especially meaningful was the chance to experience another part of the world firsthand, and making friends from other countries. It taught me the importance of being open-minded, embracing new experiences, and appreciating different ways of living. The experience also gave me a greater sense of independence and confidence in navigating unfamiliar environments. Even though the trip took place back in 2008, I still look back on it fondly. The memories, experiences, and lessons have stayed with me long after returning home. I would absolutely recommend studying abroad to anyone who has the opportunity. It's more than just traveling to another country. It's a chance to grow personally, build lasting memories, and see the world from a completely different perspective. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to visit Japan, and it's an experience I'll always appreciate.

Even if my experience was cut short by 4 months thanks to COVID, I still carry the takeaways from my time in Germany today, seven years later. During my year, I lived with the most wonderful host mother who invited me into every aspect of her life! Together, we spent time with her children and friends, played volleyball and German scrabble together, joined a local choir, and took many trips to Berlin for sports games, concerts, and historical excursions! One especially touching moment was when she planned a Christmas trip for us to go visit the city where my grandfather was born and getting to see the exact apartment where he spent his early childhood. We also got to spend time with extended family in Dresden, and even to this day I send holiday messages to her family. In school, I was so warmly welcomed by classmates and teachers. I didn't know any German when I arrived, so I was so thankful for the leniency and patience they showed me- traits I hadn't expected given my stereotypes of Germans. So, this was a great way to really experience the culture and people and change my mind about them. However, one of the best parts has been the relationships I've made through AFS, even if not in the traditional way. After my year abroad, my hostmother hosted another student, and I got to meet her when I went back for a visit. That was five years ago, but we still talk every day, and last summer I took a trip to Norway to see her again:) Additionally, my family hosted a student from Germany, and I got to go visit her in Germany, where I met her local friends, one of who I was just texting the other day to try to make plans to see in Switzerland! Another fun relationship was a girl I met during my exchange year who was from Russia. At the time, I didn't have any experience with Russian, but now I've been studying it for four years, so I reached out to her to re-connect and practice, and it was so interesting to hear about her life in Russia and get to know her through her native language. Overall, my seven months in Germany were really a catapult into what would become a lifelong passion of mine- exploring cultures and meeting new people. I grew immensely and really came away valuing my new relationships and being unafraid to initiate conversations and create new bonds with people who seem very different from me on the surface. Once we got to know each other, we found we are all just people who want to learn and build connections, and I'm so grateful I got this opportunity and that I have these new perspectives and people in my life. Thank you!

No words can explain the impact that studying abroad has on our lives. The opportunities and challenges we encountered along the way helped us create better version of ourselves. Whether you go abroad a year, a month, or a few weeks its an experience that will stick with you for the rest of your life. For me France has a special place in my heart not only for welcoming me but because it became a home. Going abroad with AFS allowed me to have a community around me that has become family even now after my exchange I get to volunteer and continue to share my experience. My exchange helped open my eyes to a new world that you can't get from just traveling. It made me a better person in so many ways and I am forever grateful for the people I met along the way.

I was placed with a family in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul; a small town at the southern tip of Brasil. Driving there in the bus, we saw a lot of cows! There were so many different things to experience there. The seasons were different - I had left Missouri in the summer and arrived in winter. My new school had uniforms, and the students stayed in their classrooms while the teachers were rotated around during the day. The food in Brasil was amazing and I definitely became ‘Another Fat Student’, but I quickly lost the excess weight when I returned home. It was an amazing experience and definitely recommend that every high school student should have a study abroad experience !!

At 15 years old, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the U.S. State Department’s Youth Ambassadors Program to Colombia, implemented by Partners of the Americas. Ten years later, it is clearer than ever how profoundly that experience shaped my personal and professional journey. During that exchange, the seeds of self-confidence, leadership, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for other cultures were planted. Without a doubt, the program helped launch my lifelong commitment to cross-cultural understanding and global citizenship. In fact, I’m writing this today from Paraguay, where I serve as a Youth Community Health Volunteer. If you are eligible to apply to the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program, do it. The most powerful way to learn, grow, and understand the world is through experience.

When my daughter was in 8th grade, I asked her what she would do over the summer if she could do anything. Without hesitation, she said, 'travel to another country.' That sparked my research into international opportunities for middle and high school students. Fortunately, she was accepted into two service programs in Latin America that changed the trajectory of her life. She spent two weeks in Costa Rica on a Spanish service trip and later traveled to Colombia as part of the Youth Ambassadors Program. Both experiences provided language immersion, leadership training, and meaningful cultural exchanges with host families and local youth. While many adults felt she was too young to travel alone, we felt confident in the organizing institutions—particularly Partners of the Americas. Their deep connections and professional expertise across Latin America ensured the programs were both safe and supportive. My daughter returned with a renewed sense of confidence, not only in her Spanish skills but in her own potential. She is now more engaged in global issues, bolder in trying new things, and more 'comfortable being uncomfortable.' These early experiences provided a strong foundation for college and shaped her into a service-minded leader with a deep passion for the Americas. If you know a teenager interested in exploring new cultures and meeting new people, I encourage them to apply to the Guatemala Leadership and Language Exchange Program. It truly is a life-changing experience!

In 2022, I participated in the Buenos Aires Youth Leaders Program, and I can sincerely say that it was a life-changing experience. My English improved, my public speaking skills grew stronger, and, most importantly, my ambition grew. Having the Partners of the Americas program on my CV helped me build the experience and confidence I needed to get into my dream university with a substantial scholarship and begin working toward a meaningful career in a field I am passionate about.

From my experience in the program, the opportunity was truly life-changing. At such a young age, it opened doors I never imagined possible, helped me grow in confidence and independence, and gave me lifelong friendships and a second family in Tennessee. Years later, I’m still grateful for that opportunity and for the way it continues to inspire me to seek new experiences and encourage other young people to pursue opportunities like this one.

I came here, to the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program, stressed out from everything back home. Standing in that field with the mountains and the trees all around me, I knew this is exactly where I needed to be.

Not many kids get to stand in the jungle and learn from the people who protect it. No phones, no noise, just being completely present with everyone around me on the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program.

The kids were so patient teaching us their language, and we taught them ours. We built a real connection in just a few days, and that's what made this trip, the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program, matter.

This trip, the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program, pushed me past my limits. I saw how the communities here take care of each other and how hard they work, and I came home braver than I left.

A week on the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program without my phone, meeting a whole new group of people, watching local leaders do incredible work with almost nothing. If I can do that, I can do anything.

Back home everyone walks the hallway staring at their phones. Here, the kids hold hands and take care of each other. That sense of community is what I'm bringing home from the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program.

I came into this trip, the Guatemala Leadership & Language Exchange Program, open-minded, and I'm leaving even more open. Somos showed me a whole world of people doing real work, and I'm carrying that home with me.

What I learned at Casa Guatemala with Partners of the Americas I could never have learned in a classroom. Meeting kids who love school more than anything made me see my own education completely differently.

We connected with the people here on a deeper level, not just showing up, painting a couple of walls, and leaving. Somos put us in real relationship with the community, and that changed everything for me.

During this program, I grew as a person, global citizen, and in the French language! The camp was amazing and we got to do so many fun activities like going to the beach and exploring cities around us. I also had a huge improvement in my language skills thanks to the classes we took on campus. I made lifelong friends from around the world as well! It was truly a once in a lifetime experience!