AFS-USA

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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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 !!

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!

In December of 2025, I had no plans of studying abroad; everything seemed to expensive or out-of-reach. It was half-way through that month that my French teacher approached me with an opportunity to pursue a scholarship that funded the majority of this program. Upon winning that scholarship (on my birthday!) and another financial aid tuition cut—all thanks to the amazing AFS donors who made that possible—I was given the chance to attend this program. Together with 24 other people from the United States, we were thrown into a whole new world. As would be an expectation by anyone who had never experienced an opportunity of such a scale before, the beginning of the program was difficult. It was easy, at this point, to only see what was negative about being in France at that time: the rooms were hot and muggy, I was unsure of my roomates, and I hadn’t slept well because of adrenaline. It was the end of June of 2026, and I had only just began my month-long program; I couldn’t wait for July to come faster. Almost exponentially, in a sense, my experience of the program skyrocketed in a good direction. Simultaneously with all the enjoyment and excitement studying abroad brought me, I learned to enjoy things that were different from what I was used to: we learned work-arounds to cool off the dorms at night, I learned to see the dorm bed as my own and finally be able to rest and process what was going on, the people around me developed too—we were all in it together, and those fellow attendees became some of the best friends I’ve ever made. Come the time of my graduation in 2028, I want to continue what I started this summer and pursue a degree in France at university. I’ll never forget my time in France. To whoever happens to be reading this—either adult or youth—the risk is worth it: the heat, the stress, fear, were all worth it. Life is far too short, and the world is far too divided to never see it all. Take the chance if you have it!

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Great experience but not because of AFS. Communication was terrible throughout the entire process. Completely disorganized- I arrived a week AFTER school had started. Significant program fee for zero support from the company. I would strongly recommend the experience, but don't use AFS.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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!