In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting influential Hispanic internationalists who advocated for peace, civil rights, and multiculturalism, either abroad or in the U.S. Our list includes artists,…
This is a collection of materials and resources gathered by AFS-USA staff in celebration of Black History Month. While Black History Month is celebrated in February in the US, these…
My name is Tori and I’m a current AFS Volunteer, Returnee from Japan (2010), and past host sister. I’m here to share my experience with AFS for anyone who’s curious…
The Cooper E. King Memorial AFS Scholarship was established with the support of family and friends in 2006 to commemorate Cooper’s life by helping a high school student gain an…
Local scholarship for students from Maine.
AFS is saddened to announce the passing of AFS World War II volunteer and Life Trustee Richard (Rick) M. Hunt, who died on April 10, 2020. Hunt was a student…
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
In September, AFS-USA's Director of Educational Outreach, Jill Woerner, was invited to serve as one of America’s Language Fellows because of her unique experiences both with ACTFL’s Professional Learning Committee and other initiatives.
Dear AFS-USA Community, While we are all immersed in challenges these days, we’ve also come to value the stability of a singular mission and values that inspire all that we…
The early twentieth century brought forth opportunities for women beyond the home front: work, education, social reform, and political engagement. While many conservative Americans fought against this change in gender roles and believed women needed to be home, World War I served as a catalyst for volunteerism and ultimately, women’s suffrage.
The Essentials All Programs AFS Participant Guide AFS Medical Guide Safety Tips Travel Guide Year/Semester High School AFS Dominican Republic Program Handbook Visa Guidelines Digging Deeper Language Resources Rosetta Stone:…
Overview: What key behaviors are tied to success in the content area you teach? Help your students explore what those behaviors and attitudes look, feel and sounds like. You could…
Overview: Do your students know if they belong to a “me” or “we” culture? This lesson teaches students about collectivist and individualistic cultures in a simple and digestible manner while…
Overview: Movies and television are rich sources of intercultural content when you know what to look for. This activity will help guide you to select a clip, show or film…
Overview: Enjoy an intercultural twist on a unit idea that’s been used for years. Active listening skills, critical thinking and collaboration are all part of engaging in a debate in-person…
Overview: No artistic abilities are required for this quick activity regardless of whether it is a stand-alone activity or unit starter. Context and communication styles will definitely be part of…
Overview: Take 3-minutes and generate a fabulous discussion about the power of perspective, active listening, and interpersonal communication. This can easily be done virtually and connects to any content area.…
Overview: Building off the lesson “The What and Why”, students will engage in brief writing activity to determine if their values are aligned with their actions and future goals. Identifying…
Overview: Do your own personal values and the values of others impact your daily actions and priorities? This activity helps your class explore the concept of values and can provoke…
Overview: What makes a community? Is it the people, the landmarks, the events or something else? This activity is a great lead-in for most content areas and provokes a great…
Overview: Give students a method and a reason to process new and different things that they see, hear and experience so they slow down and reflect before judging or stereotyping…
Overview: Using a model by Horace Mann, this lesson will challenge students to consider the strong ties between language and culture and how much of their culture is embedded in…
Overview: School routines, rituals and traditions have a large role in the formation of community and students’ comfort levels while learning. This lesson plan helps teachers provoke discussion and reflection…
Overview: Verifying the source of information and understanding how different sources provide varying perspectives on the same topic can be eye-opening for students. This activity is a fun, highly engaging…
Overview: When students form an emotional connection to something that they are learning, they are more likely to remember the content. Use this simple activity with a reading from any…
“Only through dialogue and communication can differences be understood and appreciated.” – AFS and CBYX Alum, Tony Valencia ’18- ’19. In this blog post for Pride Month, Tony delves into…
“At a time when the world is overcome by pandemics both viral and societal, AFS’s guiding principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are more urgent than ever.” – Hannah Greene, AFS-USA Returnee…
As part of showing our gratitude to educators and all of their hard work during Teacher Appreciation Week, AFS-USA coordinated with our partners in other countries to bring a series…
For James and Karen Graham, hosting an international exchange student with AFS has been a way to explore new cultures and make a positive impact. James’s family hosted an exchange…
This post was written by Michelle Kulas, an AFS Host Parent. Here it is, the day that my family has been looking forward to for months! Our Japanese exchange student,…
Whether you’re hosting a high school exchange student or your relatives from abroad are visiting, these quintessential American activities are sure to break the ice. You’ll be creating opportunities for…
Dulce de leche was everywhere in Argentina! My host family always had it at home. It is a very popular ice cream flavor, and is common to eat any time.
What is a welcome family? A welcome family provides a home and a warm welcome for a student for approximately 6-12 weeks. During this time, AFS-USA works to identify a…
AFS/YES Abroad exchange student, Carly, during her study abroad year in Indonesia. Hosting an AFS exchange student from Germany has been one of the best experiences for my family, and…
May 2018 — This past mid-May, dozens of exchange students across the Carolinas spent a few hours together to consider the year they are wrapping up and what it will…
The Dordal/Boyd family from Olympia, Washington was excited to reunite with their former exchange student, Gamze from Turkey. Despite the months and miles that separated them, Gamze fit right back…
After a friend of theirs decided to host an AFS Exchange Student, Margaret and Matthew C. from Michigan were curious to see what it was all about. Their son Andrew…
Moving to an American town 6,000 miles from home might leave a teenager shy or timid. But not Maryse, an AFS Exchange Student who came to Oshkosh, WI on a…
There are a few secret steps in this recipe that come from the owner of a Turkish restaurant! Not using a hand-blender makes all the difference!
I love this recipe because it's simple, and also because it can be vegetarian.
As learning moves from the classroom to the living room AFS-USA is ready to support families in their at-home learning environments. Below you will find resources to help students of…
They are the yummiest chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. The orange zest and nuts are optional based on your taste preferences.
This recipe is special in the sense that it makes you eat healthy and at the same time it is tasteful
AFS was founded in response to a global crisis in 1947 by American Field Service Volunteer Ambulance Drivers. In times like these, AFS Alumni around the world have demonstrated that it’s…
It's amazing and if you go to Argentina you have to eat them.
Tavche bean is a traditional Macedonian specialty. It carries the spirit and history of our country.
LeeAnn Pinchock is an AFS Returnee who spent her senior year in a tiny town near Cologne, Germany. Ann now lives in a small rural town twenty miles from Flint,…
Moroccan Almond Cookies (means silly cookie in English). This is the kind of Moroccan pastries I like the most, and makes me remember home. We enjoyed cooking together and the cookies are very tasty.
Traditional food for Argentinians served at parties with friends.
Fried noodles with meat and vegetables on it. “Yakisoba” is a very easy food to make, so it has been part of Japanese everyday meals.
A fabulous dish you will enjoy making and eating it. It is an authentic taste of Bavaria! Guten Appetit!
Easy fried rice with chicken and egg recipe.
Share your favorite recipes from around the world. We’re eager to explore new cultures and new dishes with our AFS community!
For the newest installment in our…From Around the World series, we delve into movies recommended by our hosted students from 90+ countries. Film reveals a lot about a specific culture,…
For the next post in our…From Around the World series, we explore favorite TV shows recommended by our recent hosted students. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love TV? As…
AFS-USA’s Director of Educational Outreach hosts Professional Development Webinars combining educational content, educational technology resources, and intercultural learning activities.
Of his time with his current exchange student, Adriana from Germany, Chris recalls making "20 million memories, the greatest of which is life."
An AFS Host Mom discusses how she and her family spread peace through understanding.
Hosting an exchange student does more than impact your family's year; It can alter the course of your lives forever.
My family's experience hosting a foreign exchange student has helped shape who I am today.
On a trip to Italy, U.S. Host Parents Gayle and Randy discover what a small world it can be when you're part of the AFS community.
Emily Humphrey shares the heartwarming story of her relationship with her host daughter Lulu, the power of the #AFSEffect, and the value of intercultural learning.
Hosting an AFS Exchange Student opens your family to the world! We provide a glimpse into what it's like, answers to common questions, and what we do to support you.
We gave our hosted students the chance to thank their teachers for making them feel welcome in their classrooms and chose ten of our favorite messages.
Hosting an exchange student is an amazing opportunity to form lasting personal bonds, share your culture and values, and expand your family’s horizons. Each year, more than 2,000 families in…
Nudrat I. from Minnesota explains her reasons for hosting and how sharing the year with an exchange student from India has impacted her family.
We have gotten to know many wonderful young people, families and volunteers through our affiliations with AFS. Looking forward to traveling and visiting a lot of the young people.
Sheri is a shining example of a global citizen with an enthusiasm for intercultural exchange. A study abroad student herself, she made it a point to leave her small town…
When Amanda first decided to study abroad, her main goal was to learn Spanish. What she didn’t realize was how much more she would discover about the world and herself.…
We know that being black abroad comes with unique challenges. You may encounter different forms of racism and colorism or find that products for your skin tone or hair type…
The United Nations Global Goals, or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are a great foundation for student learning. They are global in nature, yet they allow kids to focus on their…
Chief Financial Officer
It’s no secret that AFSers go on to do extraordinary things. Marcio A. da Fonseca is no different. Marcio, an AFS Returnee (Brazil to U.S.,1982-83) is the Director of Oral…
How does AFS-USA, a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization with more than 70 years of experience, continue to improve the ways that it engages with local communities? At one level, the organization…
Rural areas are ideal places to experience cultural exchange, from small-town high school spirit to traditional folk cultures, tightknit communities, and more!
For the second installment of our …From Around the World series, we dig into food! Or, more specifically, breakfast. We surveyed our exchange students and asked them to submit examples…
December 23, 2019 – On Monday, the Baltimore Sun published an article about AFS Exchange Students living with host families in the Baltimore area. The story highlights the students’ holiday…
December 20, 2019—Our staff had a blast mingling with world language educators and representatives from study abroad and global learning organizations at ACTFL’s 2019 Annual Convention and World Languages Expo…
The Edelweiss Scholarship is made available by the Clarksville Edelweiss Club. Scholarship Type: Merit-based Scholarship Value: $4,000 Available Scholarships: Two (2) Applicable Programs: AFS Year or Semester Programs to Austria…
To help you earn a scholarship to go abroad and become a changemaker, we’ve put together 8 tips to help you write a strong project proposal essay for the AFS…
Did you know that Richard Engel, NBC News’ chief foreign correspondent, is an AFSer? As a teenager in the early 1990s, Richard studied abroad in Palermo, Sicily, where he lived…
International Education Week (IEW) is an initiative led by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange. It…
Slang reveals much about a culture and its sense of humor, attitude, and values. It’s the words and expressions we use colloquially that are indicative of regional personality and spirit, as well as our intercultural similarities and differences.
December 3, 2019—AFS-USA President & CEO Tara Hofmann’s article, “Student Exchange as a Path to Global Citizenship” is featured in the December 2019 issue of Principal Leadership, a magazine published…
November 21, 2019—A half dozen volunteers received awards and honors during a Friday evening ceremony at the AFS-USA Volunteer Summit in Minneapolis, MN. The awards, given annually, are meant to…
Sudip Mukherjee Wealth Management Advisor and Portfolio Manager, Merrill Lynch As a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Sudip develops long-term financial goals and implements customized wealth strategies.…
For more than 70 years, AFSers like you have helped advance international awareness and cultural understanding while at the same time made the world a more just and peaceful place…
NEW YORK, N.Y., November 7, 2019—Key findings of a AFS Global Alumni Survey were shared at an event Tuesday evening co-organized by AFS with the Institute of International Education, the…
NEW YORK, N.Y., November 6, 2019—AFS released a large-scale research report on Tuesday, focused on the impact that AFS exchanges have on the lives and careers of participants. The full-scale,…
As many of us around the world are staying home to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus, we’re focusing on simple acts of kindness that you can take indoors…
When we think of international diplomacy, we might imagine heads of state at official meetings, but in fact everyone can (and should) engage in diplomacy.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Thank you for volunteering to be a host family, facilitator, or peer for our YES & FLEX students! Below are details of each component of our virtual programming. Orientation: You…
Individualist cultures value independence, while collectivist cultures prioritize interdependence and relationships with others.
Generalizations are a type of hypothesis, or guess, of what we expect to encounter when we interact with a certain culture. Stereotypes take generalizations too far, applying them to all members of a group.
Culture is not easy to define. Some aspects of culture are obvious and concrete, like art or attire, while others are less noticeable or even subconscious, like body language or the social values that dictate it.
Direct communication styles make the author’s intentions obvious—they say exactly what they mean. Indirect communication styles tend to hide or camouflage the speaker or writer’s true intentions and use a more nuanced tone.
My AFS journey began in the summer of 1996, when I went on an AFS year program in France.
