Nearly 50 years after his AFS exchange year in France, one alum, Christian Halstead, U.S. to France, 1976-1977, is finding a new way to stay connected to the AFS community: by becoming a volunteer!
Sometimes, the path to volunteering starts with an unexpected conversation, a familiar name, or a desire to give back to an experience that shaped your life. For this alum, connecting with the AFS-USA New Mexico volunteer team sparked the realization that they, too, could play a role in making intercultural exchange possible for the next generation.
Read on to learn about Christian’s journey from AFS-USA alum to volunteer, the lasting impact of an exchange experience, and why it’s never too late to get involved.
What inspired you to become an AFS-USA volunteer, and what keeps you coming back?
Honestly, I more or less stumbled into it! I’m fairly new to volunteering in general. My connection to AFS volunteering happened through another chance encounter: I overheard two people talking and heard “AFS.” Much like when I hear French or Dutch, my ears perked up, and I inserted myself into the conversation!
That led me to AFS-USA New Mexico and connections beyond. For some strange reason, I’d never really thought about all the volunteers who make AFS possible—or considered that I could be one of them. Now it seems like a bit of a no-brainer. I’m just getting started, and I’m looking forward to finding more ways to contribute.
How has your experience as an AFS participant/alum shaped the way you volunteer today?
My AFS year in France in 1976–77 is still part of who I am. The language, the friendships, and the interest in other people and cultures have stayed with me throughout my life. As I find my footing as a volunteer, that’s the perspective I bring: I know that an exchange year can have an impact far beyond the year itself. I’d love to help make that opportunity possible for someone else.
Can you share a memorable moment or experience from volunteering that reminded you why this work matters?
I’m still new enough that I don’t yet have a big volunteer story to tell. But helping organize our reunion in France this September reminded me very clearly why AFS matters. There was such joy in reconnecting, sharing memories, and discovering how much that experience still meant to us.
It made me appreciate the people who helped make our exchange possible all those years ago, both in my hometown/high school, and also in France. They probably couldn’t have imagined us gathering again nearly five decades later, still celebrating what they helped set in motion. I even learned that one couple in France weren’t yet volunteers but opted to help with our group and have been part of AFS since!
What impact do you think AFS volunteers have on students, host families, or the local community?
Speaking as an alum who is only now beginning to see the volunteer side, I think their impact reaches much further than they may realize. They help make it possible for students and families to share everyday life, build friendships, and understand another culture through personal experience. Those connections spread to friends, schools, and the wider community. I’m living proof that the experience can stay with someone for a lifetime.
What would you say to another AFS alum who is thinking about volunteering but isn’t sure where to start or whether they have the time to make a difference?
Well, I’m right there with you! It took me nearly 50 years to realize that volunteering for AFS was something I could do. My advice would be to start with a conversation. You don’t have to arrive knowing exactly what role you want or how much you can take on. Find out what’s needed and where your interests and available time might fit. That’s what I’m doing—and I’m looking forward to seeing where it leads.
If this article convinced you to become an AFS-USA volunteer, you can get started here!