Program Description | Getting There | AFS Orientations and Activities
Program Description
As with all AFS high school programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family while attending a local host school (private or public, depending on the area of your placement).
Students are placed throughout the Mexico with the majority of placements taking place in suburban areas, while 20% of placements are in urban and 10% are in rural areas.
The ability to speak Spanish is not a prerequisite for the program but we strongly suggest that you learn as much as possible prior to departure.
Vegetarians can be particularly difficult to place, since the Mexican cuisine consists of a wide variety of meats.
Getting There
You and your fellow AFSers will travel together from one of the gateway cities in the United States. You all will arrive in Mexico City International Airport, collect your baggage and pass through customs. You will be met by AFS staff and volunteers and will participate in a welcome orientation together. You will then travel to your host community, which may be some distance away.
AFS Orientations and Activities
AFS will provide you with several orientations throughout your experience. These orientations give you a chance to gather important information about your host country, to meet other AFS teens from around the world, to share experiences and make friends. These group activities give you a chance to understand and process your intercultural learning experience during your time abroad as well as when you are returning home.
The first orientation will take place upon your arrival in Mexico City. This will be a 3 day orientation that is intended to prepare you for your first weeks in Mexico. At the language and orientation camp, you will do most of the practical work: cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc. This involves hard work, but it will be an unforgettable experience. You will make friends from all over the world and join in games, singing and dancing. In other words, it will be fun! You will then travel to your host community.
About 10 weeks in to your stay, you will have another orientation, once again organized at the national level. This will last for 2-3 days and will focus on cultural and school adjustment. You will also meet with AFS staff and volunteers to evaluate your first few weeks and be offered guidance to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Finally, there will be an evaluation camp in the weeks prior to departure. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.
These required orientations are intended to help you maximize the AFS experience, prevent culture shock and to gain knowledge, skills and a global understanding.
Local AFS chapters organize small trips with the participants to visit tourist attractions or to have contact with AFS students from other communities. These will vary from chapter to chapter but may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Mexico. Unlike the orientations, these activities are optional and are at the student’s expense.
