The AFS Exchange

AFS students bring a lot to their new families and homes. But what about when they also bring the sibling experience for the first time? In this episode, we delve into the stories of only children who suddenly found themselves with siblings overnight! Parker from Massachusetts and Reese from New York grew up as only children, but in recent years, their families have embraced hosting AFS students,...

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month at AFS-USA, and we're thrilled to present a special bonus episode dedicated to expressing our gratitude to our incredible AFS volunteers! They truly are the heart of our organization. In this episode, AFS-USA staff have shared heartfelt voice memos, offering shout outs to individual volunteers, teams, advisory groups, and expressing general messages of th...

Katherine, a young AFS-USA volunteer from California, is deeply passionate about activism. In 2023, she engaged in AFS-USA’s Youth Ambassador Sustainability Project, a 7-week online leadership course for emerging leaders. During this program, she established a partnership with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California. Katherine shares practical advice for aspiring changemakers...

March is host family appreciation month at AFS-USA - a huge shoutout to all AFS host families! This month, we're excited to share an interview featuring a host mother-daughter pair from Washington: Jutta and Diarra. Diarra from Senegal is having a truly culture-rich year in Seattle with the Mackensen-von Stieglitz family, who moved from Germany to the U.S. about 20 years ago. Alongside trying...

In Season 3 of the AFS Exchange Podcast we've had the privilege of engaging with 28 guests across 12 episodes, each sharing impactful stories about how AFS has shaped their lives. To cap it off, we're excited to share a special episode which showcases some of the season's standout moments. And to mix it up, we've included amusing clips that didn't make the final edits, and...

Mert Özer from Türkiye and Ann Ford from New Jersey are halfway through their year together as AFS exchange student and host mother. Living in a home with two very active dogs, they share an appreciation for music. From afar, they may seem like a unique pair. Mert is blind and Ann was born with a hearing impairment. But this has not stopped them from forming a close relationship. Tune in to hear a...

Each AFS participant's experience on program varies, but Deb Moon and Juliette Cosh's summer in Cyprus stands out as truly unique. Deb and Juliette, along with five other AFS students, were on this small island in 1974 when the Greek Cypriot military supported a coup to overthrow the country’s president. A few days later, the northern part of the country was invaded by the Turkish. Deb a...

Celebrate International Education Week with us as we chat with two dynamic educators dedicated to instilling global competence in their classrooms. In this episode, we explore the significance of global competence through the experiences of Hannah Arrington from Bellaire High School in Houston, TX, and Ellen Ericson from Mahomet-Seymour High School in Mahomet, IL. Both Hannah and Ellen, seasoned t...

Tatyana Sergeyeva, a Russian cultural exchange advocate, shares her inspiring journey as an AFS exchange student to Iowa in the early '90s during the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union. She credits her AFS experience with helping her develop essential skills like empathy, confidence, and language fluency, which have shaped her diverse career and global outlook. Tatyana, who...

Before Dr. Rich Besser started his notable professional career, he was an AFS student in Australia. Since then, he has served as the Acting Director of the CDC, the Chief Health and Medical Editor for ABC News, and held many other impressive positions. Today, he is the President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a prominent philanthropic organization dedicated to shaping the landscape...

The Hummel family has found a unique way to spread the word about the host parent experience: TikTok! With over 125,000 followers at their account @Josiewhite201 , they have successfully shared with the world the value that an exchange student can bring to their family and community. Joselyn and Devin Hummel have hosted two AFS exchange students and are eagerly awaiting their third. During the ear...

“Your journey with AFS starts, but it never ends, because it will be with you for the rest of your life." If you have ever studied abroad with AFS- or hosted an AFS student- you can probably relate to this! In the episode, Sarah and Tommaso share how their lives have been profoundly shaped by AFS. Discover how AFS fosters a lifelong connection to global citizenship and hear firsthand accounts...

Dr. Mitch Besser’s experience in South Africa began on his AFS program in the early 1970s, in the middle of the era of apartheid. 50 years later, his strong connection to the country remains.  Mitch’s AFS program enabled him to break free from the limitations of his small-town upbringing and explore new possibilities, ultimately leading him to establish mothers2mothers , an organization that empow...

You don’t need to go abroad for an entire year to be impacted by international exchange. In this episode, we explore the transformative power of short-term study abroad programs for high school students via 3 interviews with former participants to Spain in 2019. They share their memories and insights on living with host families, learning Spanish, and exploring the culture and history of Valladoli...

Hosting an exchange student can bring a variety of benefits to host families, especially those with children, as it can change the way children perceive and interact with the world. In this episode we hear from several guests who have been either host siblings or host families with AFS-USA. Discover the benefits that hosting an exchange student can bring to your family, including teaching your chi...

Participating in an exchange program is an opportunity to have many new experiences… like finding yourself with new siblings! Living with host siblings can really add another dimension to an exchange program for a participant. From the point of view of the host family, this experience can help open their child’s eyes to a world beyond their own. These exchanges allow host siblings of any age to be...

AFS-USA aims to empower high school students with essential global skills and a passion for creating positive change. Through the Global Citizen Scholarships and Aid program, they are committed to supporting students from all backgrounds. AFS-USA partners with Community-based Organizations (CBOs), family foundations, individual donors, AFS-USA alums, and others to make Global Citizen Scholarships...

In honor of International Education week, The AFS Exchange brings you conversations with the awardees of AFS-USA’s 2022 Global Awards! These awardees were recognized earlier this year for their commitment to helping the next generation achieve global and intercultural competence.  We hear from Global Educator Award winner Josh Amstuz from Cleveland, Ohio about how he became interested in internati...

Jim Kiernan’s AFS experience in Germany in 1961 was an eye-opener. He had never left the northeast United States, but after just a summer in Germany he returned home with a strong desire to learn more about the world and, in his words, “live more.”  In this episode, we hear about Jim’s AFS experience, his Fulbright program in Brazil, and his extensive professional career with the international law...

This episode focused on the impact of AFS on one family in particular- Dana, Camille, Ricardo, and Yasemin. Dana’s mother, Camille, hosted Ricardo from Brazil in 1974. A few years later, Dana went to Turkey with AFS-USA. Yasemin was her host sister, and despite having no common language at the time, they two quickly became friends and found other ways to communicate.  We all got together to hear a...

After Dave Schrader’s summer in Austria with AFS, he returned back to the US eager to help future exchange students through their programs. He has led orientations for hundreds of departing US students and incoming international students over the years. In this episode, we learn more about these orientations and why they are so important to ensure that students have a great program. Dave also shar...

6 years ago, Fen left Bangkok, Thailand to begin his AFS year outside of Houston, Texas. In this episode, Fen shares his insights on his exchange year with 6 years’ worth of distance. He shares the skills he took away from his time in the US, and we hear his advice for future exchange students. In honor of AFS’s 75th anniversary, The AFS Exchange is releasing 4 episodes this month! That’s 4 times...

The first time that Linda took an airplane was at age 17, heading to her AFS Program in Paraguay. Growing up in small town Missouri, she was surprised her parents even let her go! But years later, her valuable experiences in Paraguay have continued to have an impact on her life and those around her. AFS’s goal? To build global citizens who can Pass Peace Forward, creating a more just and peaceful...

In this episode we hear from three of the 1000+ students that AFS-USA welcomed for the 2021-22 school year.  Samira from Germany, Toby from Sweden, and Mira from Austria share about their host families, schools, and what life is like for a teenager in the U.S. These three teenagers have gained confidence, maturity, and problem-solving skills during their AFS program.  They have also become cultura...

What does it mean to be an AFS Host Parent? It’s more than providing a bed and meals. As an AFS Host Family, you’ll welcome someone new into your home, share your everyday lives with them, and grow as you get to know each other and share your cultural perspectives. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself, your family, and community. This episode includes three great conversations...