
Quiz: Put Your Global Knowledge to the Test
What does it mean to be “globally competent”? This difficult-sounding term is becoming more and more common in both offices and universities around the world—and students who take the initiative…
What does it mean to be “globally competent”? This difficult-sounding term is becoming more and more common in both offices and universities around the world—and students who take the initiative…
Many of us dream of being able to effortlessly converse in many languages. Let’s face it—multilingualism is a widely desired trait. It’s a key that unlocks new cultures and ways…
At first glance, global citizenship seems like an abstract concept. What does it mean to be a global citizen anyway? Global citizenship doesn’t do away with passports or borders, and…
It can be hard to decide when, where, and how long to study abroad in high school. With 100+ programs in more than 40 different countries, it can seem daunting…
You might wonder why homestays are such an important part of many of our study abroad programs. The reason is simple but powerful – living with a culture is one of the…
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs announces that Santa Clarita, Calif., resident Tracy O’Garro has accepted the volunteer position of Sponsored Programs Cluster Coordinator. In this…
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce that Justine Tuncan, a Valencia High School junior, has become the team’s newest registered volunteer. As…
The local California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce that Thousand Oaks, Calif., volunteer Jennifer Lasley has been selected by the national AFS-USA Volunteer…
The California Central Coast Area Team of AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to share that Valencia High School junior and AFS exchange student from South Africa Michelle Hadebe participated in…
This post was written by Michelle Kulas, a former and current AFS Host Parent. Here it is, the day that my family has been looking forward to for months! Our…
Apply for a scholarship with AFS and connect with a family across the globe. If you’ve ever pictured yourself on the other side of the world, fully immersed in a…
Ehtesam Utsho from Bangladesh, YES Student. Hosted in Portland, Oregon. Attending Benson Poly Tech High School. Utsho is an amazing student. We are so glad to have him in our…
AFS Ecuador Director, Juan Rodriguez, with Karen Lindquist, his host sister during his AFS exchange year to the US. October 2, 2014 | New York, NY – This past Saturday, AFS-USA…
By Cyd Haynes Woodbury MagazineAmerica is a melting pot, so we enjoy the cultural richness of immigrants from many countries, but every year Woodbury hosts a number of students who…
by Kristine Goodrich White Bear PressA variety of elective choices, lunch at school and sports and clubs after school are among the best perks of studying in the U.S., four…
May 10, 2012 — Two AFS Students from Switzerland explain their experiences as exchange students in Central Florida.By Julie Smith The Seminole VoiceSaying goodbye to your family and boarding a…
Pictured: Jim Walker (center) with two participants of the AFS Comparative Religion Program to Turkey, Summer, 2013. February 8, 2019 | New York, NY — In December of 2018, the AFS-USA…
Whanganui High School is a modern, co-educational school of approximately 1,500 students and over 160 staff. Their International Department has about 65 international students, which make up five percent of…
Western Heights is a state, coeducational school with a student body of 1,550. It is Rotorua’s most popular and largest high school, offering excellent pastoral care and student safety. Academically,…
Unfortunately, enrollment for this school is FULL for the 2020 school year. Check out other New Zealand Global Choice schools that are still accepting new students for 2020. Whakatane High…
Hillmorton High School is a coeducational school with approximately 750 students, including 20 to 25 international students. With a diverse student body, students come from over 40 ethnic backgrounds contributing…
Papanui High School is a coeducational, uniform school located in suburban Christchurch, which is ten minutes from both the city center and the airport. It has the benefit of being…
Te Puke High School is a semi-rural, uniform, coeducational secondary school located in the township of Te Puke, approximately 10 minutes from the coast. Te Puke High School has a…
Aotea College is a multicultural, co-educational school of 930 students, located in the beautiful Porirua Basin. The college has a long-standing tradition of welcoming international students and offering them an…
Rangitoto College is renowned nationally and internationally for offering students a kind environment in which they can develop academically and personally. With 40 different kinds of sports to choose from…
When adjusting to a new culture, community, and school, a teacher can make all the difference in a hosted student’s first few months. We gave our hosted students the opportunity…
New Zealand is a wonderland of incredibly beautiful, diverse ecosystems and geography. It’s an otherworldly, exciting destination that’s home to turquoise waters and sandy beaches, lush forests and gorges, glaciers…
Western Springs College is a co-educational, uniform school located in central Auckland. Western Springs is known for the friendliness of its students, high quality of its education, as well as…
Picture yourself strolling the cobblestone streets of Italy this summer, gelato in hand. Or, maybe you’re exploring the multifaceted beauty of Japan’s landscapes as you attend language classes and learn shodo (calligraphy). If you’re a…
Nudrat I. is a host mom from Minnesota who is currently hosting AFS international student Saniya from India. Nudrat explains her reasons for hosting and the impact her host family…
Summer is an exciting time to step outside of your routine and try something completely new. One way to take advantage of this period of transformation is to go abroad…
5 incredible volunteer abroad programs If you’re like many high schoolers, you’ve dreamed of going abroad and seeing the world. But, you’d also like to make a difference to the…
“This is our second time hosting and it is such a pleasure to share with others how diverse families can be in the US.” …
“I discovered what a great parent I can be and this has motivated me to adopt a child.” –Damian Pisanelli Damian Pisanelli and Alex from Germany Fifteen years after my…
Hosting foreign exchange students 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…
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…
In today’s era of misleading headlines and political divisions, separating fact from fiction can be tricky, especially when it comes to learning about another culture and its values. That’s a…
“This is our second time hosting and it is such a pleasure to share with others how diverse families can be in the US.” The Lopez-Jones family Read their story…
An important announcement from the Chair of the AFS-USA Board of Directors, Joan B. Siegel November 28, 2018 After almost 40 years of dedicated service to AFS, and upon deep…
Jenny O. and Beth R. were very familiar with foreign exchange and travel– Jenny’s family hosted students three separate times while she was in high school, they’ve lived abroad together,…
Italy is one of the most popular destinations for travelers and it’s clear why – stunning landscapes, striking art and architecture, and incredible cuisine. What’s not to love? Italy is…
Maybe you’re rushing to pack before your flight tomorrow and need some quick tips on how to fit your life into a 50lb checked bag. Or maybe you’re still months…
This activity is appropriate for a wide variety of ages, ranging from elementary school to adult. Since it requires no special materials, it can be conducted in almost any setting.…
Overview: This lesson plan is designed for students to consider the many ways in which people communicate non-verbally, identify their own preferences, and begin to think about the importance of…
Active Listening Lesson Plan Overview: Effective communication requires an understanding that not everyone prefers to communicate in the same way. It also requires a person to be an active observer/listener.…
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge student learning preferences in the classroom, and help students become more aware of the strengths and challenges of each style. Activity (Methodology): Self-Inventory…
Overview: In this lesson students will be prompted to think deeply about the various elements of their individual identity. Using the identity flower model as a guide, students will explore…
Overview: This lesson introduces students to the concept of culture. Using the iceberg model as a guide, students will be challenged to look inward and reflect on how their own…
Overview: The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the course of history and have had a significant long term effects on the victims. Students will get the opportunity to…
Overview: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) declared June 5 as World Environmental Day in order to create awareness on issues surrounding the planet, encouraging citizens to take global action. The purpose…
Goal: To help youth eliminate stereotypes and to recognize the uniqueness of each individual Time: 20-30 minutes Materials: A brown paper bag, one potato for each student in the class,…
Overview: People’s values, norms and assumptions can often influence and explain their behaviors. This activity offers the opportunity to self-reflect on one’s own values and how these are reflected in…
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge students’ preferred conflict styles (based on the Thomas-Kilman Model) and open a discussion around how this knowledge might be used to help navigate…
Overview: Use this lesson plan to gauge students’ individual tendencies and prompt rich discussion on how cultural tendencies in societies are reflected in the ways that people describe themselves. Activity…
Overview: In September 2000 society’s attention was drawn to certain social and economic issues impacting us on a global scale through the development of the United Nations’ Millennium Goals (MDG).…
Overview: The purpose of this activity is to expose students to the important benefits of cultural diplomacy during International Education Week, as a way to foster mutual understanding, empathy and respect…
Overview: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as person who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,…
Overview of Islamic Culture & Muslim Traditions Lesson Plan Each year, Muslims from across the globe take part in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr marking the official end of Ramadan.…
Overview: The United Nations declared August 19 as World Humanitarian Day, as a way to commemorate the 2003 bombing of the U.N in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as a way to…
Overview: Several countries have banded together in order to promote gender equality in education with the goal of eradicating gender disparity in the classroom. Even still, there are several social,…
Goal: Exploring what students consider to be typical U.S. cultural values while comparing them to their perceptions. Objectives: Students will be able to: Become aware of what are considered typical…
Overview: Use this lesson to help students become more aware of their own culture and recognize its influence on their thoughts, behaviors, and how they view the world. Activity (Methodology):…
Overview: In this lesson students will explore the notion of how people often subconsciously limit their perspective. By engaging in a short puzzle task students will be challenged to think…
Chair Keith Stock U.S. to Panama, 1969 Mr. Stock is an international strategist, private markets investment manager and financial services executive in his roles as Chairman and CEO of First…
Co-Chair John T. Colas U.S. to Belgium, 1979-80 John T. Colas serves as Partner and Vice Chairman of Oliver Wyman Financial Services Americas. He has worked in each of the…
Richard Engel U.S. to Italy, 1990-91 Richard Engel serves as NBC News’s chief foreign correspondent. He previously served as the network’s Middle East correspondent and Beirut Bureau chief. Engel was…
Carson Gleberman U.S. to Switzerland, 1976 Carson Gleberman has worked for McKinsey & Company, Citibank and The Viral Hepatitis & Liver Disease Foundation, and most recently served as the Executive…
Christine Plews AFS Returnee, U.S. to Ecuador, SP 1969 Host Sibling, 1974-75 One World Area Team Volunteer, 2008-2010 AFS Host Family Teachers Exchange Program, 1984 Siri Saisang Thailand Hosting of…
Chair | Volunteer, Host Family
President, Lewis & Clark College Returnee – Netherlands to the U.S., 1968-69; Volunteer Wim Wiewel, who came from the Netherlands to the U.S. as an AFS student in 1968, is…
Vice Chair
Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Longbow Technology Ventures Sending Parent Matthew van Steenwyck, known as Matt, is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Longbow Technology Ventures, a…
Senior Adviser, Tax Justice Network and Former Partner, PwC AFS Sending Parent and Returnee Krishen Mehta is a writer, teacher, and speaker on issues of global tax justice. Prior to…
Speech Pathologist Chair of the National Council; Host Parent Debra Maly, known as Deb, is the Chair of AFS-USA’s volunteer representative body, the National Council. Deb became involved with AFS…
Senior Consultant, The Hartford Financial Services Returnee – Türkiye to the U.S., 1984-85 Emre Evren joined the AFS-USA National Council in 2013. He is an AFS Returnee from Türkiye to…
Secretary | Host Parent; Sending Parent
President of Trinity College | Host Parent; Sending Parent
Treasurer | Volunteer
Vice President, Development, Alumni Relations, & External Communications Marlene Baker spent the first 25 years of her career in senior management positions in marketing and communications. After 12 years with…
Vice President, Hosting and Strategic Operations Steve Thrush leads AFS-USA’s core hosting operations and is responsible for oversight, strategic priorities, and operational implementation of AFS-USA’s hosted student admissions, field hosting…
Vice President, Host Family Experience & Stakeholder Engagement Mary Jo Brock first experienced the transformative effect of exchange as a host sibling to AFS student Manuela from Peru in 1980.…
Willie Thompson: Vice President, Digital Strategy & Business Intelligence Willie has over 17 years of experience with AFS Intercultural Programs. Having participated in a study abroad opportunity in Russia in…
Executive Vice President, Compliance & Government Relations
Vice President, Marketing, Study Abroad, and Participant Support & Learning International student exchange has been a part of Melvin Harmon’s life for more than 40 years, starting with his own…
President and Chief Executive Officer
Chair of the Board of Directors
AFS Returnee Samantha Cristoforetti adjusts her Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit. Photo Credit: NASA For many AFS participants, studying abroad is the beginning of a lifelong international journey. For Italian…
Studying abroad can seem a little scary. You’re far from home in unfamiliar surroundings. You’re dealing with the language barrier and adjusting to new cultures. You’re disoriented and maybe experiencing…
Overview: The purpose of this activity is to introduce U.S. students to the world beyond their classroom borders through the bounty of hosting international students. An introductory exploration of culture…
Goal: Known as the official start of the holiday season to many, the American secular holiday of Thanksgiving has been a long tradition that brings together family and friends from…
Sourced from the UN: Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It…
Sourced from the UN: Roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a day with global unemployment rates of 5.7% and having a job doesn’t…
Sourced from the UN: Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes,…
Sourced from the UN: Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in and there is sufficient fresh water on the planet…
Sourced from the UN: Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education can help equip locals…
Sourced from the UN: It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all…
Sourced from the UN: Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better…
Sourced from the UN: The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather,…
Sourced from the UN: Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and…
Sourced from the UN: Forests cover 30.7 percent of the Earth’s surface and, in addition to providing food security and shelter, they are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity…