Dulce de Leche
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.
Author: AFS USA
Mercimek Çorbası
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!
Veggie/Shrimp Tacos
I love this recipe because it's simple, and also because it can be vegetarian.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
They are the yummiest chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. The orange zest and nuts are optional based on your taste preferences.
Salade d’avocats
This recipe is special in the sense that it makes you eat healthy and at the same time it is tasteful
Milanesas Argentinas
It's amazing and if you go to Argentina you have to eat them.
Тавче гравче – Tavche bean
Tavche bean is a traditional Macedonian specialty. It carries the spirit and history of our country.
Ghouriba Bahla
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.
How to Choose a Study Abroad Program that’s Right for You
It can be hard to decide when, where, and how long to study abroad in high school. With 120 programs in more than 45 different countries, it can seem daunting to…
Jim Walker Joins AFS-USA’s Board of Directors
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…
10 Thank You Letter Examples from Hosted Students to their Teachers
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 Travel Tips
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…
AFS Host Mom Nudrat Shares Her Host Family Experience
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…
The 9 Best Places to Study Abroad this Summer
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…
Want to make an impact this summer? These 5 volunteer abroad programs will help you do it.
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…
Stories: The Pisanelli Family
“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…
5 Things To Know About Hosting Foreign Exchange Students
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…
Letters to Future Exchange Students
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…
Why Your Family Should Host an Italian Exchange Student
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…
Stories: Real Host Families
“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…
Celebrate Cultural Diversity this 4th of July
The 4th of July conjures classically American images: baseball, fireworks, hotdogs, Bruce Springsteen. It’s the day we celebrate the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation and…
Jenny & Beth’s Multicultural Family: “Two is better than one”
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,…
6 Ways Studying Abroad in Italy Builds College and Career Choices
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…
Walk Apart, Walk Together
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.…
Identity Flower
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…
The Hidden Ways in Which Culture Differs
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…
The Effects of Nuclear Weapons
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…
Taking Action for the Environment
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…
The Potato Activity
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,…
Microfinance: A Poverty-Fighting Tool
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).…
I have a dream
Overview: Dr. Martin Luther King is known to many as one of the most influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. His passion and enthusiasm for social justice and equality…
Stereotypes and Generalizations
Overview: Use this lesson plan to help students distinguish the difference between stereotypes and generalizations, explore stereotypes that they may hold about others, and practice how converting stereotypes into generalizations…
Fostering Cultural Diplomacy in the Classroom
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…
Exploring Refugees and Asylum Seekers
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,…
Exploring Islamic Traditions: Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr
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.…
Examining Humanitarianism
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…
Examining Current Social Movements
Overview: Beth Simone Noveck, former United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer, once stated, “In the 21st Century, you have to use technology as one of the tools in the toolkit…
Education for All #BringBackOurGirls
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,…
Exploring Cultural Values
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…
Cultural Influence on Judgments
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):…
Connect the Dots
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…
Sarah Yancey
Chair | Volunteer, Host Family
Wim Wiewel
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…
Jim Walker
AFS Host Parent, Volunteer, and Returnee – U.S. to Indonesia, 1987-88 Jim Walker is an AFS Returnee from the year program to Indonesia, 1987-88, and from a short summer program…
Krishen Mehta
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…
Debra Maly
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…
Emre Evren
Senior Consultant, The Hartford Financial Services Returnee – Turkey to the U.S., 1984-85 Emre Evren joined the AFS-USA National Council in 2013. He is an AFS Returnee from Turkey to…
Diana Deem
Secretary | Host Parent; Sending Parent
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President of Trinity College | Host Parent; Sending Parent
Robert Stableski
Treasurer | Volunteer
Marlene Baker
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…
Keri Dooley
Executive Vice President, Compliance & Government Relations
Tara Boyce-Hofmann
President and Chief Executive Officer
How Studying Abroad Can Make You Brave
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…
Chain of Diversity
Goal: Participants will discover and recognize the many ways in which they are similar and are different from others in the group, as well as the ways in which each…
Building Global Competency in the Intercultural Classroom
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…
14 Ways to Say Thank You Internationally
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…
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
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…
Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
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…
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy
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,…
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
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…
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Sourced from the UN: While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women…
Goal 4: Quality Education
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…
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Sourced from the UN: Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing…
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
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…
Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions are still living with their families on less than the…
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
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…
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
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,…
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
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…
Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
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…
Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
Sourced from the UN: The threats of international homicide, violence against children, human trafficking and sexual violence are important to address to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.…
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Sourced from the UN: The international community has made significant strides towards lifting people out of poverty. The most vulnerable nations – the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries…
Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Sourced from the UN: Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically.…
Aussie Kiwi Haere Scholarship
The Aussie Kiwi Haere Scholarship is for students interested in studying abroad to Australia or New Zealand.
AFS Robbie Robinson Scholarship
Local scholarships for students attending The Barea Midpark High School in Ohio.
Maine Global Explorers Scholarship
Local scholarship for students from Maine.
DelMarPA Year Scholarship
Local scholarships for students from DelMarPa Area Team
DelMarPA Global Prep Scholarship
Local scholarships for students from DelMarPa Area Team
The Felicia Buell Study Abroad with AFS Scholarship
The Felicia Buell Study Abroad Scholarship will award one (1) student from any high school in Washington County, Ohio or Williamstown High School in Williamstown, WV, $5,000 to participate in…
Pride Scholarship
The AFS-USA Pride Scholarship is available to those applying for a year or semester AFS study abroad program.
True Peace Scholarship
Local scholarships for students from Nevada and California
Greater Los Angeles Area Team Scholarships
The Greater Los Angeles Area Team Scholarships are made possible by the generosity of volunteers, individual donors, and foundations in the Los Angeles area. Scholarship Types: Needs-Based and Merit-Based Scholarship…
Bonnie Jernigan Memorial Scholarship
Local scholarships for students from the Massachusetts Bay Area Team.
Michigan Area Team Scholarship
Students living in Michigan, applying for any of AFS’s study abroad programs, are eligible to apply for a local need- or merit-based partial scholarship.
Catherine Scully Scholarship
Students living in the capital city of Springfield, Illinois are encouraged to apply for this merit-based scholarship.
AFS Foundation of Greater Milwaukee Scholarship
Local scholarships for students from Wisconsin.
Orca Scholarship
Up to $2,500 study abroad scholarships for students of Washington.
Friends of Greater Cincinnati Scholarship
Local study abroad scholarships for students from the Greater Cincinnati area.
Linda Jackson Straus Scholarship
Up to $2,500 study abroad scholarships for Talawanda High School students from Oxford, Ohio.
Kirby Capen Study Abroad Scholarship
$1000 study abroad scholarships for students from Connecticut and New York.
Sharon Lage Study Abroad Scholarship
$1000 or more study abroad scholarships for students from Connecticut and New York.
NYC Metro & Hudson Valley Area Team Scholarship
$1000 or more study abroad scholarships to study abroad for students from Connecticut and New York.
Colorado Rockies Area Team Scholarships
Scholarship to study abroad for a year or semester for residents of Colorado.
CBYX
Full, merit-based scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State to serve as a “youth ambassador” for an academic year home-stay program in Germany.
NSLI-Y
Full, merit-based scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State to study critical languages in an overseas immersion environment.
AFS Returnee Maggie Kane founds pay-what-you-can cafe, A Place at the Table
Many AFS Exchange Students lead impactful lives after their time abroad opened their minds and taught them to collaborate across typical divides. They think globally, then act locally. One AFSer,…
Q&A With AFS-USA’s Alumni Relations Intern: Molly Kisner
Molly Kisner is AFS-USA’s Alumni Relations intern, an AFS Returnee (U.S. to France, 2010), and she is completing our fall internship program this week. She studied French literature and Japanese…
Studying Abroad in the 1960s
Thanks to the generosity of George Gabb, the AFS Archives recently acquired an oversized scrapbook filled with black and white photographs, letters, newspaper clippings, small brochures, cards, tickets, luggage tags,…
Snow Tubing Fun
Sparkling, sunny, snow tubing fun! Pacific Cascades Douglas County Chapter organized a day of winter sports fun at Diamond Lake on January 12th. Snow shoeing and tubing under bright sunny…
An update on AFS-USA’s Leadership Initiative for Teams (LIFT) Workshop
December 5, 2018 – Over the weekend, AFS-USA conducted a leadership development workshop at Trinity College’s new Action Lab. Among the attendees were AFS-USA President/CEO Tara Boyce-Hofmann, Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney,…