Bradley and Lance are an AFS host family currently living in Madison, Wisconsin. As first-time host parents, they welcomed Daniel from Spain into their home for the 2024-25 school year.…
There are countless benefits to hosting an exchange student in your home when you have children. AFS exchange students form deep bonds with their host siblings, often introducing them to…
AFS-USA host parents come from all walks of life – while some are retirees or seniors who are looking for a meaningful way to devote their free time, others work…
Introduction Have you ever wondered what the AFS student application and selection process entails? What makes a great candidate for intercultural exchange and how does AFS determine this? There are…
Tommaso Casavecchi is an AFS-USA Marketing Intern, an AFS alumnus (Italy to U.S., 2018) and a volunteer in his hometown of Florence, Italy. He just took part in another exchange…
Hosting an exchange student with AFS-USA is not only a wonderful experience for a teen from another country – it’s a unique opportunity to provide you and your family with…
The Quandt family first started hosting with AFS-USA in the 1960s when they welcomed Kashu, a student from Afghanistan, into their home. This hosting experience was the catalyst for a…
Mikea R. is an exchange student from Albania on the YES Scholarship Program (yesprograms.org), hosted by AFS-USA in Rockford, Illinois. Below, Mikea responds to a series of questions about why…
This blog features interviews from the Judy family and two students hosted by Dar Fredrickson in Pennsylvania. Both interviews were first published in “Building Bridges”, the Western Pennsylvania Area Team’s…
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…
What is a welcome family? A welcome family provides a home and a warm welcome for a student for a few weeks to a couple of months. During this time,…
AFS/YES Abroad exchange student alumna, Carly, shares her family’s experience hosting Fionn from Germany! Hosting an AFS exchange student from Germany has been one of the best experiences for my…
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…
For the newest installment in our…From Around the World series, we delve into movies recommended by our hosted students from 80+ 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? These…
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.
My family's experience hosting a foreign exchange student has helped shape who I am today.
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 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…
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.
Rural areas are ideal places to experience cultural exchange, from small-town high school spirit to traditional folk cultures, tightknit communities, and more!
Hosting sounded like an enjoyable experience with many benefits, so Jacque and her family said “yes!” This began an international friendship that would span 55 years.
Grace Madthing is an AFSer from Thailand who turned his experience as an exchange student into a passion for diplomacy between Thailand and the U.S. In his letter, he candidly…
In high school, Stephen Zhang knew he was ready for something new. He wondered what it would be like to start a new life beyond the comforts of his routine…
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…
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,…
It’s 2018 and I’m sitting in my grandmother’s sunny Ohio kitchen. We just went to two estate sales and are on our way to a quilting expo. She’s a consummate…
The AFS 2018 Reel Life Winners, The Lounibos Family, share their thoughts on how Lison, their host daughter, changed their lives!
Hello! My name is Aqsa and I currently live in the Pacific Northwest as an AFS Exchange Student. I came here through a scholarship called the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study…
