"Martin's incentive to "share" what he has learned with his own country and community has also had a transforming effect on us, his American family. We have also been given "new eyes to see" the world! The gratitude (and love!) goes both ways."
– Dawn Fuchs, host mom to Martin from Ghana
The Lyon family hosted Samuel from Spain (pictured back left). His host mom, Jane Lyon, said:
"Samuel got to meet and spend time with his AFS grandparents. His mom was an AFS student in a neighboring city 30 years ago. Also, our liaison's parents were good friends with his AFS grandparents. This fact unfolded after our liaison was already chosen.
AFS truly makes the world a smaller place… We all told Samuel that there was no denying that he was right where he was supposed to be."
Here's Thale from Thailand with host dad Ben after a muddy fundraising race. This teen jumped right in to the busy life of this childless young military couple: taking road trips, doing chores, cracking jokes and even losing 35 pounds after joining them in the many races they run! "This parenting thing is pretty fun," wrote host mom Angela. "He's such a great kid… We are sad to see him go."
Sue Castellano, a host mom from Minnesota, wanted to host so she could share with her family and exchange student the immediate and long-term impact international exchange has through connecting lives and sharing cultures.
So wrote Sue Castellano, a host mom from Minnesota, while reflecting on why she wanted to host with AFS.
And throughout the year, she found that that impact played out, not in epic trips and grand moments, but in everyday interactions between her family and their AFS Exchange Student, Manami from Japan. Take for example the time Manami saved the day by fixing her daughter's balloon dog that came untwisted:
"Oh, the tears! We told (my daughter) sorry and what a bummer it was but no we didn't know how to fix it and no, we weren't going back to get another one. I got her busy doing something else and I went to take a nap. When I woke, the first thing I see is (my daughter) with her Balloon Dog again!! What? Huh? With a big smile on her face, she said, 'M. fixed it! AND she made us French Toast! So you don't need to make us lunch now Mom.' WOW! Foreign Exchange Students are AWESOME!"
One of these stories could be yours. 2,500 high school exchange students will arrive this August and September from more than 90 countries, and many still need supportive host families.
Open your home to the world and make a global connection: Host an AFS Exchange Student.