AFS Intercultural Programs: High School Abroad in Argentina

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.