AFS-USA

My time in France was absolutely beautiful, I loved it and I would do it again 100 times, just with a different organization. While I was in France, there was no support for harsh times and host family abuse/toxicity, Many other AFSers who came to france this year have said the same—changing families is insanely difficult because AFS takes the side of the family, leaving a lack of support for the student. On the other hand, I learned so much about myself on this program. I fell in love, I became fluent in French, I have a university program chosen already, this program has really made me fall in love with the world around me, and I will forever be grateful. I just wish AFS was there for me more (Sorry if the wording of this is confusing, i’m still getting used to speaking english) I will forever cherish this time I spent abroad!!!

I learned so much during my year abroad in Germany. I had a great host family and experience in Berlin. I made so many international friends and connections in Germany. It is an eye-opening experience that I believe everyone should partake in.

My year in Portugal was the best experience I have had in my life and also was the best year overall I've ever lived by far. I lived in a small city with a host mom and two brothers, which at first were just strangers but now feel like true family. I also went in without speaking any Portuguese at all, but after a few months I became fluent. Attending the local school where people didn't speak English helped me a lot, and my host mom supported my learning a lot as well. My mom was very sweet and shortly I started getting along a lot more with my brothers, especially the younger one. I also became friends with the kids at my school and now I consider them good friends of mine, and I plan to go back to Portugal this summer (one year later) to visit everyone. But the deepest friendships I made were with the other exchange students I met from other countries around the world who were having the same experience as me. These fellow students became my closest friends ever and I am so happy to have met them. My whole world view has changed and I now I can reflect on my life here at home and I am more grateful for what I have but am also able to realize what I might not like compared to how things are in Portugal, and I feel that these realizations have and will continue to help me build the future and life I want. Everyone with AFS supported me immensely and I would like to thank my contact volunteer especially for always being someone I could talk to and was always there for me. Thank you to AFS for giving me my life as I know it now, I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for AFS. If you are considering doing an exchange year then just do it. I can seem scary at first but that's part of what makes it so meaningful. My exchange was a rollercoaster of emotions and I wouldnt have it any other way. Now I would do anything to go back to my life in Portugal and see the friends and family I made along the way.

I went abroad during my junior year of high school and had the time of my life! I was matched perfectly with my host family, and really enjoyed the city that I lived in. AFS was really great in matching me with a family that best supported my needs, and matched my personality best. I became fluent in the language and made several friends that I still talk to now, even after being back in my home country for over 6 months. I think this is such a unique study abroad experience because you see how Germans live their daily lives, and you become one of them. Although I had doubts and was scared at first, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. If you are wondering about doing this program, I would 100% recommend you to!

Studying Abroad was an absolute dream of mine and choosing AFS to accomplish this was the best choice I made. I always felt safe, seen and heard throughout my whole experience even months before and after finishing my experience. Once I let my Family and friends know I was studying abroad with AFS they all had known someone close or distant that had gone abroad with AFS. Now that my experience is over I see how I made the best choice in organization and would do it all over again with AFS. If you are still deciding what organization to go with, let this be your sign to go abroad with AFS no matter the program or duration it will be a family you will always be able to turn back too.

The experience was decent. It wasn’t the greatest for me because of some personal complications and I didn’t love my location. Overall I have no problems with AFS, although me and the other students in my area didn’t not like Intercultural because there were several occasions of them breaking rules and not helping the students when needed.

I had been sent home for something out of my control and was blamed for it, I also had talked to my tutor about the racial abuse I was facing and the constant harassment from others. I was called many bad things especially comments on my skin color. My tutor blamed me for looking different and told me I shouldn’t be me. I was also threatened with guns and knives while I was out. Many times I was harassed and almost assaulted on multiple occasions. Then the school asked for me to pay for a trip then AFS chose to send me home where I still have not received my refund for the trip

I never thought I would make friends in the country that I studied in because I didn’t learn that much of the language, but I did make friends and I didn’t expect that. I am so grateful to AFS for this experience and will never forget it.

I learned so much in just a year. I got to meet amazing people and had so many fun adventures! I went to such a beautiful place and sweet people who were so welcoming! The people I met abroad and through afs were truly people who shaped me into who I am today!

I was a CBYX student with AFS. The volunteers made my arrival in Germany so easy and were always willing to help. I grew so much over the year, I’m very grateful for the experience. The friends and family I made during my exchange year are so important to me.

It was an incredible experience; I not only learned a ton of Spanish, I also had an eye opening experience that taught me to think about the world differently. As I plan to become a doctor, I felt it would help me understand patients from different walks of life better. Having the experience of living in a foreign country without knowing what to expect and without speaking enough of the language, I am able to relate to immigrants better because I have experience rather than an idea of what it means to immigrate. Going in high school is also beneficial because you get to see how people grow up somewhere else, and you form lifelong relationships with those around you!

My study trip in Japan all felt like a wonderful dream. I learned so much about their culture, food, hobbies, and the people. They have amazing food and the people are so polite. My host family was amazing and we both loved to play volleyball and we played volleyball once a week at the gym! Overall I had a great time!

I tried so many new things. People would not call me a social person, but while I was there I met new people and tried things I would never think of doing. It was the best time of my life!!! I saw so many new things. I wish I could have brought a few back with me!

This program was amazing; my group and I spent our 2 weeks well exploring all Popayán and the surrounding areas have to offer. The group I went with was great, and the 8 of us got pretty close by the end of the trip, as well as growing close with our AFS staff chaperone, making unforgettable memories. I also grew very to my host mom, who despite not speaking a word of English, we got to know each other very well and she took me to some of Cauca’s most amazing places during family day. Best experience I could ask for in such a short 2 week period. Get ready, future AFSers for an adventure to remember.

With AFS I was able to properly navigate my time in a foreign country and have an unforgettable experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat. It is something that I will remember for the rest of my life!

My time in Germany presented many challenges, from switching host families three times to learning to be more independent, but every one of those challenges allowed me to grow as an individual! With the support of AFS USA and AFS Germany, my family back home, and the wonderful people in Germany, I was able to overcome these challenges and have the time of my life.

Hi! I’m Valentina, and i’m 17 years old. I’m from Chile, and i’m doing an exchange semester in Connecticut, USA. I’ve had so much fun this last months. People are very nice to me everywhere. I already have friends and i love my host family

Wandering the streets of Chengdu with my host sister, we created a game called 这是什么？or 'what is this?' as I knew almost no Chinese upon arrival. Throughout my six weeks in country I pointed at ingredients from the local market, signs advertising the newest tech in the city's downtown hub, and of course, the pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding all the while expanding my vocabulary and understanding of Chinese culture. By the end of my time in China with AFS I could order my favorite dumplings from a street cart on the way to school and even sang Beijing opera style for our program's closing ceremony! All of this was made possible with the support of AFS and the funding of the NSLI-Y program. My 6-weeks in China simply wasn't enough, so I enrolled in Chinese classes at university and have been in pursuit of reuniting with my host family (and those dumplings) ever since. My exchange experience not only opened up opportunities for cross-cultural understanding, but also prepared me for a globally focused academic and professional career.

Studying abroad in Switzerland was the best decision of my life. I am so grateful that I believed in myself and got out into the world, stepping out of my comfort zone. I was blessed with a wonderful family that took care of me and gave me the freedom I needed to make friends and immerse myself in the Swiss culture to the degree I wanted. Not only did I learn about a new culture but I also learned about myself as a person, which is an incredibly valuable lesson that not much can teach. The most important part about approaching going abroad is believing in yourself and having faith that things will work for you. I became a new person by the end of my year abroad, thanks to the beautiful experience I had, and I would not trade it for a single thing on this Earth. Now that I have ties to Switzerland, I am doing everything I can to go back there for higher education.

I was in AFS Germany, from 2011-2012. There were lots of social activities to do, the coordinators seemed to care about us, and we felt really safe. However, I wish counseling was an option with AFS at the time, to deal with the emotions one has during their stay in another country, and that they took mental health more seriously. I was being bullied in my host family and asked multiple times to be moved to another family, but nothing came of it other than telling my host family what I said, which made everything worse. Other than the host family issue, the school and program do take care of you, and ensure your safety.

I chose AFS because it seemed like the most inviting, I didn't really like the others because for example rotary you have to move around every 3 months so you never get to really have a family or experience to call yours because you are constantly moving. My favorite parts were the trips to the north and south. They were soo beautiful and fun! I also liked the orientation camps because I got to know new people just from my city. It was so much fun to be around other AFSers!

My experience taught me that sometimes you just need to be patient, you don't need to understand everything right away. I learned how to be more independent but admit when I need help from others.

I think I expected a different type of culture than the one I was exposed to and at first it was really hard to get adjusted but after awhile I learned a lot about being independent and handling situations on my own. It really made me appreciate people's different ways of being and become more understanding of other cultures and their values. It also helped me gain an outside perspective of the way other people view our country and it was so eye opening. It was genuinely such a beautiful life changing experience I would never take it back for anything in the world.

When I was abroad I gained lifelong friends and another family that is like my own. I learned to do things more independently and I learned how talk to people which was scary for me before. I got to go to school in another country which was as well scary but I learned to do things even if they are scary. I am more outgoing now and I feel more confident because I went on this amazing trip.

I liked the way AFS seemed professional yet orientated towards the students own experiences. I knew I would have a great support community behind me if I needed but I'd also have my own personal freedoms to create my personal experience .The absolute most important things I gained from my trip were the people I came across that will now forever be apart of my life and the confidence I came back with from having all the experiences and obstacles of my trip.

I gained a knowledge of a new culture and way of life when I was abroad. AFS helped me to explore my region and to adapt easily to my new community. AFS introduced me to many lifelong friends from all over the world.

Being home I now realize I have the most intense and meaningful connections that I've ever had in my life. The people (my host family, French friends and AFS friends) I met in France are people I will know for the rest of my life, and I never want to lose contact with. I also gained another home, a place I intend to visit again and a community around me that will always be a part of my life. Though I gained a language and knowledge of another culture, I now have a passion to travel and learn languages. I want to expand my world and myself, and meet as many people as I possibly can in one lifetime. All of this is what I have gained from this incredible experience with AFS.

When I was in Brazil I saw how AFS was involved and formed relationships with their students and it showed me that making relationships and having a community that loves you and supports you is very important, but also relationships need work and everything has to contribute.

I chose AFS because I had heard good things about the program from friends who studied abroad with the program and enjoyed their experiences. I found AFS to be really helpful and resourceful. Somebody was always available to help or talk to me when I needed it. Even when I didn't personally reach out to AFS, they had volunteers in my host country and back home who reached out to me and asked how I was doing.

A new culture influences you and your way of life in a large way. On my exchange I learned that if you are determined you can get yourself to any tough situation. And that those tough situations help you grow as a person.

My time abroad gave me a sense of accomplishment, broadened horizons. The other exchange students in the area acted as great support, and we were able to connect and share our experiences during orientations. The reputation and extensiveness of AFS made me feel comfortable going with them to the Czech Republic.

When abroad with AFS I learned respect for other cultures and my own and that life is going to have its ups and downs and the only thing you can do is accept it, deal with it and try to make it better.

While living away from my own family, I gained a deeper sense of independence and self-trust in problem solving and though I had some struggles with my first host family I did love my second family and I made lots of friends. I also learned a lot about my own country from the outside and about the history of Argentina and South America. My priorities were rearranged and I realized that experiences are much more important than simply grades, and I found the importance of standing up for my opinions, taking advice, and accepting help. When I was in the position where a change of host families seemed essential to having a positive experience, AFS was very accommodating and made the transition, quick and smooth and maintained my stay in my host city.

I choose AFS because, I felt like with other exchange programs, after you got into the foreign country they just kind of left you. I felt like AFS took care of us while we were in France by organizing weekends and checking up on us!

It chose AFS because it was the most used organization in my area so I only really knew about that one. But I learned once I was there that it was one of the better options anyway compared to other organizations. During my experience I gained friends from every corner of the world, I learned patience and gratitude for what I have, and I learned how to travel.

I chose AFS because they had the best program for the Czech Republic that suited my needs. While on program I made an amazing network of close tight-knit friends from around the globe who will always be there for me.

My AFS experience gave me a love for my Brazilian family and friends, a better understanding of Brazilian culture, and the skills of how to adapt better to new/ difficult situations. AFS gave advise on how to handle just about every tough situation that could possibly have occurred.

The meetings with the other AFSers were very important. It kind of formed a little foreign exchange community where we could all talk about how our experiences were going and give each other advice.

I changed so much from my AFS experience; in the best way possible. I met my best friends. I learned a language, and most importantly I learned how to be self-reliant and more independent. AFS worked well with my school because it was difficult for me to be away for an entire school year, or else I had the chance of being held back. AFS was perfect because it was the perfect destination and had a semester option.

During my exchange I gained a more global understanding that even though someone may have grown up on the other side of the world, we aren't all that different. I also learned that even though we may be more similar than I expected, we still live our lives in different ways because of the culture we have grown up in.

During my time abroad I gained a lot of knowledge on myself and got to know more what it is I truly want out for the upcoming years in my life. It opened my mind to a lot of different situations, topics, and ideas that I would have never come to if it wasn't for AFS and this experience. I think that after becoming an AFSer and then becoming an AFS returnee you see the world completely different.

On my exchange I definitely learned a lot of French in addition to learning more about French culture. However, one of the most important things I gained from my AFS experience was a better understanding of myself, which is something I didn't expect. I became a lot more independent and self-sufficient as well as making tons of amazing friends from all over the world. My AFS region in France was just an amazing support system for me. I made so many friends, and I don't think I could have made it through my time without both the other hosted kids as well as our returnee contacts.

During my exchange the AFS weekends were amazing. I actually met some of my best friends from exchange on these. I think I defiantly have a broader perspective on how I look at things now. And going on AFS has opened up my eyes to the whole world.

I would like to start by saying that studying abroad is not for the faint of heart. While on your exchange you will meet a multitude of struggles, with friends, language barriers, and host families. The most important thing is openness and flexibility. Although I had some difficulties, I would never take it back because in the end I gained such wonderful friends and family. I really do feel that I grew from my experience with Afs. Going there is hard, and coming home can be even harder. However, out of all the exchange programs I felt that Afs had ample resources and support. I really comes down to your host family and your chapter leaders. Regardless, do not let the potential hardships deter you from having a beautiful time in a beautiful country. I love my host family and the people I met, and it was well worth the trip.

Honestly, I really do believe that AFS-USA has a wonderful team, but the local chapter that I was in was far from that. In the small province of Tucuman, all of the volunteers in the chapter we under the age of 30, and most of them were doing it because it was one of their requirements in order to get their English degree. Lacked support, structure, and stability. I was very close to a few members of the team and there was so much politics behind the scenes. My host family was the poorest, which really gave me an insightful perspective. Also, being an Asian US American, I faced a lot of discrimination. Still, it was an amazing experience and I learned so much. Though, if I were to do it again, I would have chosen YFU or another organization.

I spent my junior year of high school in Barcelona on an AFS study abroad. It was the best choice I've ever made! The program placed me with an amazing family in an incredible town. I learned so much on my year abroad and met people who truly changed my life. I thoroughly recommend the program to anybody looking to go abroad.

Overall, I had a great year. I met many incredible friends and got to travel across Germany. The bureaucracy of AFS, however, made it very impossible to travel with anyone outside of my host family and I had to turn down a lot of cool opportunities. My host family was ok, I had a lot of fun with my host sibling and my host dad, but my host mom never liked me and rarely talked with me. They told me it wasn't her idea to have an exchange student and for the entire year I felt like she didn't want me to be there. I had gone through a lot of training about host family life but it seemed like they didn't go through any training about having an exchange student. I spent a lot of money on food because my school schedule and their meal schedule didn't line up and they weren't willing to compromise. They blamed me for not making friends at school even though I tried very hard. I did have a lot of fun throughout the year, especially when we got to see new things and during the Christmas market that I got to see in Berlin. One issue however is that my host family spoke english to me almost explicitly throughout the year even though I kept saying and saying for them to speak German, and it cost me a lot of language skills I could've had. They said they wanted an exchange student to learn english, not just for me to learn German and blamed me for being selfish that I wanted to hear only German. They were speaking english up to the day I left, where they didn't seem sad to see me leave. Other than some of these issues, it may not seem like it but I met a lot of cool people from my program that I am hopefully going to be friends for live with. The AFS volunteers in Germany were the worst, multiple made my friends uncomfortable and were creepy and younger than people and offered terrible advice, mine was very nice but she only met with me twice in the year and didn't have any answers to questions I had. Every time I needed AFS's help my liaison didn't know the answer and AFS wouldn't respond to my emails.

Naturally living in another country and leaving everything you know will change you and how you see the world in a great way. When I ran into personal problems I really felt like AFS (at least the one that I was in contact with from Spain) really only cared about my host family because they were volunteering to host me. I felt like AFS Spain didn’t really care about what was happening to me and neither did my host family so that left me feeling very alone. Then for orientations we never really stayed in very nice places (like no heat in the winter when it was like zero degrees). And they also had to buy on sale food (like pasta salad that had gone on clearance). The activities during these orientations were very repetitive. I feel that my AFS region in Spain was poorly managed/funded or something like that. But despite all of this I made friends that I will have all my life. I’ve already been back to visit my best friend. Other AFS exchange students are also some of my the best friends even two years later. I would recommend studying abroad because it will change your life but it isn’t easy, and I think it would’ve been easier for me if I traveled with another company.

I did the Summer language and culture immersion program in Japan. I was placed in a Kuwana, which is around an 1 1/2 away from Nagoya, where I went to language school everyday. AFS Japan and USA both did an amazing job preparing me at the orientation, both in America and in japan. My host family was amazing and truly made my exchange. At language school I learned so much (which I frankly did not expect) and made many close friends that is till keep in touch with. To anyone wanting to go abroad, do it! If anyone had any questions, feel free to email them to me at [email protected]

My AFS program year in the Czech Republic deeply impacted my life and who I am as a person today! I am so glad I found AFS and chose to apply for the program to the Czech Republic! The application process was straightforward and the details of what needed to be done were always clear and communicated well to me and my family. One of the most exciting moments in the weeks before I left was receiving an email from the people who were going to be my host family, introducing themselves with pictures and a greeting! That was also when I learned where I was going to be living in, which meant finding it on a map, seeing what was near – it was all extremely exciting. The orientations in New York prior to leaving, plus the longer orientation we had once we arrived in the Czech Republic were well-organized and led by dedicated and friendly staff and volunteers. We got to talk to many AFS program alum, who gave us the benefits of their own experiences, and advice for how to make the most of our program years. I found myself thinking back to the information we received in these orientations quite often, and it did help guide me in some challenging moments when I was feeling down or frustrated. The orientation in the Czech Republic also gave us the tools for starting to learn to speak Czech, and started to introduce us to some of the Czech foods and cultural practices we’d be likely to encounter with our families. My host family was young, with small children, and lived in a rural village in the southwestern area of the country, which is mountainous and beautiful (it is the area that Czech people often dream of having a little cottage in, when they retire). My host family was really quite active and enjoyed hiking, taking long bike rides, and taking day trips on the weekends which suited me – I felt like the volunteers did a really excellent job matching my interests with the family’s. My host family’s home was an old, old building with massive thick walls across the street from a church that dated back to the 12th century! Other AFS students lived in many other places in the country, including Prague. I rode a bus to school in a larger town about 20 minutes away – my oldest host brother who was seven also rode the bus to go to his school, and for the first few weeks, was a great help pointing out things to me and “explaining.” I loved my little host siblings! We read books together, I took the oldest two on walks or bike rides after school, and we developed an awesome big sister/little brothers bond. My host family was very good about not treating me like a live-in babysitter; I really felt like a loved and cared-for part of the family. At school, I joined a class of about 18 students who had been together in school for several years at that point. I happened to be the first exchange student their school had had, so everyone was interested in talking to me, and very welcoming. I learned to change into my school slippers each day when I arrived, just as I changed into house shoes at home! My classmates spoke to me in English at first, as they were studying it as part of their schoolwork, but they also helped me learn Czech through conversation. I developed friendships with many of my classmates that continue through today. School was an important part of my program, because it gave me a way to see how Czech people my age were learning and preparing for their future studies and careers. My host family arranged to eat lunch at the cafeteria most of my classmates used – we would walk together over to it, and eat a hot, cooked from scratch lunch that always started with soup (lunch is the big meal of the day – breakfast and dinner were usually bread and cheese, yogurt, or other lighter things). I was also able to get involved in some groups through connections with people at school, including playing in a municipal orchestra, which held their concerts in another very old, beautiful church. We had periodic AFS weekends where we’d all gather together and have some sessions about adaptation and where we were in our programs. They were held in interesting places and it was reassuring to see how the other students were doing. I felt supported by the AFS volunteers and staff and knew I could reach out to them if I needed help. How can I sum up a year? A lot of it was normal living – helping with chores, laughing at dinner with my host family, going to school and studying. I stayed in contact with my family back home through email and letters, and received packages from home every once in a while. I made my host family a Thanksgiving dinner, which they appreciated, and cooked them some other favorite recipes from home at other times. I learned Czech by studying it, speaking it, and trying to understand as much as possible. By the end of the year I was fluent, which is still amazing to me. I read about Czech history and asked a lot of questions, and was lucky enough to get the opportunity to see many different points of interest in the country, including castles, ruins of castles, museums, and other historic places. The Czech Republic is a small enough country that was easy to travel around the country with my host family who enjoyed the opportunity to share these places with me. The people I met in the area I lived were open with me about what it had been like when the country was communist, and I was even introduced to some older people who remembered when American soldiers liberated that area at the end of World War II. I am humbled now to realized they shared some of their most difficult memories with a teenager from another country, but they did that because they wanted me to learn and understand. The Czech people I met were very open with me, and I loved speaking and talking to many different people in my host community. The Czech Republic is a small country with a long history, many beautiful natural areas, a robust train and bus system and networks of walking paths through the countryside in many areas of the country (I’d often opt to walk home from school on one of these paths if the weather was nice). I still miss so many things about living there! It has given me a real appreciation and understanding not just of other ways of living, but it gave me a starting point to think about how I wanted to live as I grew into becoming an adult, and what was important to me. My AFS program year improved my interpersonal skills, taught me you can connect with and love people who may be from quite a different place than you, and was really instrumental in building the person I am today. I am so glad I went as a teenager – living with a family, and being invited in to visit with new friends’ families, gave me an inside perspective there would be no other way to get. I’ve kept in touch with my host family and have been back to visit several times already – it is time to plan the next visit back!

My AFS exchange experience was amazing, influential, eye-opening, challenging in a good kind of way and introduced me to a culture and country that resonated as "home" to me. From the moment I flew into NYC and met the other students, I was supported and knew that AFS staff was taking care of us and preparing us for our unique, amazing, educational, challenging exchange experiences. The AFS volunteers and staff met us at the airport in Budapest and brought me and all the other students to our Arrival Orientation. We stayed at a hostel in Budapest and had amazing city views (even though we didn't do any city tours). Instead, they had us busy with getting to know each other, basic Hungarian lessons, cultural values and traditions and other important info (like school life, typical Hungarian family life etc.). In country, my host family was so wonderful and sweet. I bonded with my host grandmother, who spoke no English, over baking/cooking and helping to get everything ready for our weekly Sunday meals as a family. My host mother also spoke very little English and I had zero Hungarian, so we helped each other by writing on post-it notes the names of things (in Hungarian and English) and labeling everything in the kitchen. It really helped me and I could help her out more with setting the table, putting dishes away, etc. I went to school with my host sister and struggled, but still had a great experience. Sometimes, I had embarrassing or stressful moment, like when the mathematics teacher called on me, out the the 40 kids in class, to answer an question - and all I could said was "4" in Hungarian. (Hint: the answer was definitely NOT 4). So, one of my classmates told the teacher that he called on the exchange student and the teacher felt very bad and apologized for putting me on the spot. Some classes were easy though, like English. I definitely got an A in English class and a B in French. :) My local chapter organized cultural trips around the city with other exchange students, to learn more about local history and traditions. My host family brought me on family trips and showed me the country. (Side note: Hungary is very small country and my host family loved to do day-trips by car. However, AFS isn't a travel program and students shouldn't expect/assume that they will travel or go on trips. It all depends on your family, just like your family in the USA.) They also organized Hungarian-language lessons for me and other exchange students in my city (both AFS and Rotary). So, I learned Hungarian slowly. No matter what, AFS was always there to support and help us with anything. AFS-Hungary did super cool orientations throughout the year/semester, which was chance to meet up with other AFSers placed across the country and share about our experiences, challenges, joys, frustrations, and accomplishments. It was also a chance to do talent shows, play games, and just spend time together. When my AFS program was over, it was heartbreaking and super hard to leave my host family. I loved then, my city, and Hungary so much that I chose a college in the US that had a study abroad program to the local university to my city in Hungary. So, I was lucky enough to return and spend another 3 semesters with my host sister as my classmate, enjoying Sunday meals with my host family, and build up my Hungarian language skills! That shows how much my host family, my city and Hungary became a part of me. AFS exchange programs aren't easy and aren't a vacation. But, it helped me to figure out what I want, where I want my life to go, and helped me to gain a new language, family, country, culture and home! I recommend AFS with all my heart and give it a billion stars!!

AFS is a good program if you really want to do it. i had an okay time in China, and that is only because we spent most of our time in a classroom. if it was not for my family, I would have barely been able to explore China.

Going to India was absolutely incredible! I learned more in that short time, than I ever thought was possible. The people were extremely hospitable there and they showed that they truly cared about me and my experience there. AFS is an amazing organization and I'll always be grateful for the time I had there!

AFS is a great organization to study abroad with in high school, and not obscenely expensive. Host families are entirely volunteer, so they usually are super excited and looking forward to hosting an exchange student. My host family was great, and I still keep in contact with them 3 years later! I made some of the best friends through AFS. Starting with a pre-departure orientation in the US, orientations in Italy, and usually the placement of multiple other exchange students in your high school, you'll make the best friends you could wish for! I had a full language immersion with AFS, and left Italy conversationally proficient in Italian. Most students had tutoring through AFS while in Italy, but my tutoring fell through, so I had to learn most of it on my own. I would say that was the only drawback to my AFS program! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! If you are able, study abroad in high school!!! It's such a great experience, and it really will change the way you see the world, especially at such a young age. DO IT! Check out my blog for more info on my exchange: www.leahsharabyabroad.blogspot.com

I chose AFS because of it's reputation for exchanges and it's long history in the field. Spending time on the Swedish west coast with my host family all the time was simply memorable.

It was a transformative ten months for me. I learned to speak French fluently, I made good friends, and I understood a different way of looking at life through my immersion in French culture. Even though I gained so many beautiful memories from living in France, I think that it's important to say that it was a roller coaster of joy and unhappiness. When every day presents new experiences, you're going to feel a little lost, a little unstable. At the end, you come out knowing yourself and your world better. AFS is a supportive program that puts an emphasis on safety. I appreciate that I felt well-cared-for throughout my time in France. They have a network of volunteers, and they make sure that there are plenty of people you can talk to. AFS also hosts little get-togethers with the regional AFS students and volunteers. They try to make it fun, but they also check up on how you're doing. At the get-togethers, I could talk with the other AFS students and compare notes about French people, French food, things we loved, and things we didn't like. If you're the only foreign student at a high school, it's good to know that you aren't the only one who finds certain aspects of French culture strange. I made friends with AFS-ers from different states of the U.S., Thailand, Colombia, and Japan, as well as many other countries! I should mention that my experience with AFS France was a little bit different from the "normal" experience; instead of being matched with a host family, I stayed with a family that my mother knew already. Even with a family connection like I had, it was difficult to adapt to living with different people in a different culture than I was used to. A lot of people I know didn't get along perfectly with their host families. Some people got very young host parents with no children, some people got a bunch of younger siblings, some people ended up in tiny villages with more cows than people, and some people lived in hopping cities. There's really no knowing what kind of experience you'll have because each family is different, and each region has certain things you'll like and some that you won't. If you're interested in studying in France, I think AFS is a good program to go with. You should know from the beginning that it's going to be a tough, wonderful experience. On the other hand, don't be scared to go for it!

My most memorable experiences are probably the times I spent with the other AFS participants, as it broke the routine of life each time I saw them. We were able to share our lives with the others and give advice. We all became friends so quickly, and I had fun whenever I saw them. I chose AFS because I was familiar with it. The AFS participants who live in my area of the US convene in my town, and my family has often hosted students for a night or two over those weekends. I was much younger than most participants, and so many options for countries were closed to me. I wanted to go to Europe because I have a European Union citizenship, and because the culture does not differ from American as much as that of Ghana's. I chose France because of the language. I lived a large house. I had my own bedroom with a large comfortable bed. The house was kept clean.

First of all, I suggest you read my comments on the academics and program administration. They are fairly concise and important. I would not say I loved my study abroad experience. It wasn't easy, the stress of thinking about the school year to follow back home was overwhelming, and most of it is simply routine. But what it did was give me insight to the world that I didn't have when I left. I now speak another language, I know things about French politics that most people don't, and I met so many people. Not all of them are the kinds of people I enjoy spending time with, but they all brought something to my year in France. AFS is nice because you get to meet people from all over the world. There were no other Americans in my area after December, and I managed to bond with people from all over the world, all while speaking another language. I now have faces assigned to things that I used to think of no more than in terms of their political relationships with my own country. My host family was excellent, and I couldn't have been happier with them. Living Situation: My host family was the nicest family anyone could ask for. My host mother was a teacher, so her vacations coincided with mine. The kids could be difficult to handle but they were nice. I got very attached to their cats. Cultural Immersion: You spend almost no time with anyone from your country. Program Administration: AFS has a huge volunteer support that is generally the one to organize and lead outings. They are all very well-meaning people, but they are only volunteers, and errors of communication are relatively common.

My most memorable experience is living with my host family, and getting to eat lunch with them, as a family every day after school. In the south of Italy they even let classes out at 1 pm so that you can go home to have lunch with your family. Italy was great! The people, food, and culture is fascinating. I had my own small bedroom in a house with my two host parents, and 2 host sisters. We all shared one bathroom, which got difficult at times with two other sisters because everyone seemed to always need the bathroom to shower, or do their hair, etc., but if you stay respectful, there will be no problems. Sometimes you will share a bedroom with host siblings, but it should not be a problem.

AFS in Italy was the best year of my life. They place you with host families anywhere in the country, and I was placed in a suburban town in the south. It was one of the best places to be, because I was really forced to immerse myself in the culture, as I was the only international student in my area. They carefully choose the host families, and the Italians I lived with were some of the most generous and kind people I know. This program changed me as a person, and although there were tough moments, because of the language barrier, homesickness, etc., it was definitely worth it! The AFS office in central Rome and in the Northern parts of Italy were definitely more helpful than my local office. Make sure that you reach out to AFS with any problems, and continue to contact them until the problem is solved, because they will solve it, but sometimes they need to be sure that you're serious! School in Italy was tough, because at the beginning none of the teachers paid attention to me because they assumed I couldn't understand anything. But as you become accostomed to the language and classroom and make sure to apply yourself youll be fine. Overall, in one year I had both great times and awful times, but it was 100% worth it and I'd definitely reccomend it to anyone interested in studying abroad!

I really liked my experience in France, although there were more difficult times than I had expected in the beginning. AFS is a really good program if you want to feel safe. On top of having a family, you also have adults who organize parties and check up on you. One of the best parts was getting to meet other students from around the world and exchanging experiences. I'm still in contact with many of them! Yeah, some people complained that AFS wouldn't change their families, and sometimes they made it hard to travel to other countries (I never got permission for a certain country, even after sending the forms and everything!), but I think that all the volunteers are very devoted to helping. Another thing is that the program is kind of expensive, but at least you don't have to worry about having to fend for yourself. Social Life: There's a big emphasis on school, but that doesn't mean you can't have a great social life. I think some AFS students had a hard time because they were in tiny villages, but I was at a big school, so it was all right.

AFS was an excellent program. The aspect of living with a host family was incredible, it really forces you to completely you to completely immerse yourself in someone else's lifestyle and culture and you really learn a lot, things you would never expect. Everyone I talked to who were on the program really liked the living situation, AFS really excelled. I still go back and visit my host family still today. The school situation in any country, in my case France, is really what you make of it, but it can be a brilliant experience, full of color and different things to what you might be used to, but for just that reason is really lovely. I would recommend AFS to everyone willing to study abroad.

Amazing!! AFS does an amazing job at covering all the bases and making sure students have the greatest experience.

AFS is the best!

This is a GREAT program. People are very hospitable, friendly & fun. Safe environment. Schools are great. Only negative is you won't learn a foreign language. I got full credit from my High School for classes taken.

I went to Cap d'Ail and Monaco for a month, living at Le Centre mediterranean d'Etudes Francaises. The campus was gorgeous, I met hundreds of students my age from different parts of the world and I was immersed in the culture. After the program I was fluent in French.

Really great experience. I would definitely recommend the program.