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My host family are amazing and they are more than a host family I feel they are really my family and also friends that cool people that you made friendships with them that gonna stay forever

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The opportunity to meet incredible people and my family :)

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The opportunity to meet incredible people and my family :)

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Afs gave me the opportunity to get to know people from all over the world, with different cultures and different mindset and still we were connected by the fact that we all wanted to explore and love to learn new things!! It’s amazing how I got to meet loving and caring human beings because of Afs, not to talk about the family that they gave me.

Afs is the best thing that ever happened to me and I’m forever grateful.

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Since I got to the United States I have been welcomed into a lot of lives. Meeting new people everyday and making new connections is really important to me. It is amazing how quickly you get to know your surrounding people. Getting welcomed into a new family and community is not easy but it is an amazing adventure!!

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I love that AFS provides liaisons and coordinators for exchange students. I love knowing that I could always talk to someone if there's something wrong. Thank you AFS!

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I love that AFS provides liaisons and coordinators for exchange students. I love knowing that I could always talk to someone if there's something wrong. Thank you AFS!

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I love how we get to try a lot of new sports and meet new people and find new passions. I love how this country gave me a second family and in a way, a second life. Thank you!

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The BridgeUSA Seminar in DC ; My Host Mom and I doing volunteering service with our service team.

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Today is Valentine's Day. On this special day, as I pen down this share, I feel deeply touched. I suddenly recall a question I asked my host parents before. I asked them, among so many exchange students from around the world, why did they choose me? Their answer at that time was somewhat unexpected. They said, she had almost grown up in China – primary and middle school in Xinjiang, and the first two years of high school in Taiwan... Perhaps it was her impression of China, or more precisely, the warm-hearted Chinese people that led her to the idea of "my first host student must be a Chinese student." I still remember the overwhelming joy on her face when I found photos of her middle school in Xinjiang. I also remember the gratitude when I presented them with scarves, tea, and purple clay teapots from China. I will never forget the joy they felt when I found Weilong spicy sticks in a local Chinese supermarket and brought them to her and other host uncles. I will never forget the Chinese candies GG and DD (Host grandparents)brought back from the world market to give to me... Until these things happened, perhaps I truly understood the true meaning behind that Olympic song lyrics: "You and I, heart to heart, forever one family."(In Chinese“你和我，心连心，永远一家人”/"你和我，心連心，永遠一家人")

In today's world, it always feels like something is missing. Now I realize that what is missing is the bridge of heart-to-heart connection between people from different cultures. We, the youth, should act as this bridge. Nowadays, the world is not peaceful. My humble opinion is that it largely lacks understanding between different cultures. We often talk about "seeking common ground while reserving differences," but now with the collision between cultures, we lack means of communication, which leads to misunderstanding instead of seeking common ground while reserving differences. I often discuss with other exchange students from different countries in the Global Changemaker group (our organization), and I find that they more or less encounter similar issues. People who lack understanding of other cultures are bound to criticize cultures other than their own through colored lenses. Before participating in the exchange student program, I was full of biases and stereotypes towards other cultures. Sometimes, I even thought that the people in this country were like this or that country's people were like that... But now I've totally changed. I think this may be one of the reasons for cultural conflicts. I also think that if more families and young people with a global perspective appear, perhaps there will be more care and love for people from any culture rather than hatred. I have always liked to follow international news, but what I do not understand is that even in this era, various unscrupulous media incite public resentment towards ordinary people from other cultures. Even simplistically attributing it to: "people from that culture have always been like this." I think perhaps only through cultural exchanges can this bias be broken. This may make the world a more peaceful place. After all, the primary representatives of each culture are the people themselves. I still believe that in this world, there are more people willing to accept other cultures than those who are stubborn. We take pride in our culture, and we should also be proud of other cultures. During the exchange student period, I found that my classmates always liked to ask me questions about my culture. I always explained them very patiently and calmly, and every time I could solve some of their misunderstandings. Sometimes they did not intentionally ask some sharp questions, but they really knew nothing about your culture. Since ordinary people are like this, I think the troubles caused by misunderstandings between cultures must be greater. It is definitely not something that can be solved simply by relying on cross-cultural communication by several people , but it requires more people's participation. I firmly believe that the future world will definitely be a cross-cultural world. At that time, world problems can surely be solved through equal consultations between cultures without sanctions, let alone conflicts. Achieving such a world requires efforts from you and me, and efforts from all cultures. This is what I learned from AFS. From this loving day onwards, I will definitely work harder to become a global citizen and spread love throughout the world.

Love from China🇨🇳

Zizheng Zhu

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Participating in AFS has been an incredible journey that has opened doors to friendships both within America and across the globe. Through this program, I've had the privilege of connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life, fostering friendships that transcend borders and language barriers.

The bonds formed through AFS have not only enriched my life with unique perspectives and experiences but have also highlighted the profound importance of friendship and relationships. Whether sharing laughs over cultural misunderstandings, exploring new cities together, or supporting each other through challenges, my AFS friends have become an integral part of my life.

Moreover, AFS has taught me valuable lessons about the significance of building meaningful connections and nurturing relationships beyond geographical boundaries. It has emphasized the power of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect in fostering lasting friendships that transcend differences.

Through AFS, I've come to appreciate the beauty of diversity and the strength that lies in forging connections with people from all corners of the world. These friendships have not only broadened my perspective but have also enriched my life in ways I never imagined possible, reaffirming the timeless adage that "friendship knows no bounds."

Amir from Pakistan 🇵🇰🇺🇸

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I love the program as a host parent and now as a Liasion.

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AFS has given me great things such as getting out of my comfort zone, challenging myself, learning new cultures, improving languages... but if I had to choose the best thing it has given me, I'd choose the group of 4 girls who I love and I'm absolutely grateful for.

Instead of staying with a host family, we ended up in a boarding school. They are from Switzerland, Faroe Islands and Thailand and with their support I felt like home. I like to think of them like my "international sisters".

Love them!

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By exploring numerous new places, interacting with diverse individuals, and flourishing within varied groups, I've gained a deeper understanding of myself. This exchange has allowed me to delve into uncharted aspects of my personality and wholeheartedly embrace them. Engaging in relationships and communicating our backgrounds is crucial for personal growth. Stepping outside our comfort zones encourages us to redefine comfort until new experiences arise. I've developed a fondness for discomfort because it enables me to envision overcoming any future obstacles fearlessly, unafraid of embracing novelty.

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AFSers at our end-of-year ceremony, in our Thai school uniforms. 1981.

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My AFS year to Thailand (so many years ago) was a life-changing experience. I still feel so connected to Thailand and to my AFS friends. I ended up going back to Thailand for a university-level exchange and continue to visit whenever I can.

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AFS has given our family this amazing experience that we didn’t know we needed. Our daughter (6) has enjoyed her live-in big sister. Initially, we thought we should wait until our kid was older, but we agreed to host anyway and it’s been a wonderful learning experience for both—especially our daughter. Our family has also used this as a reason to explore and share more of our country and culture with someone else. We are grateful for the match; we are totally convinced we got the best teenager in all of Germany 🇩🇪 — we’ve got the makings of a lifelong connection. We are grateful for AFS and have loved the experience so far! The volunteers are generous and informative. Overall, it’s been great!

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All memories up till now have been more than just experience. AFS brings you what you never thought of before. The bonds we as exchanges students share is incredible. It’s been 6 months in USA and this place now feels like home. I love my friends and they love me too. Me and my friends celebrated the galentine’s day together to celebrate our love. And i hope this love never stops growing.

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Our daughter was a CBYX - AFS exchange student last year in Germany...and got to meet our current exchange daughter there before returning home - now we have BOTH this year - their senior year in high school, and it has been such an exciting year for all of us!

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From my time at AFS, I’ve learned more about myself and the world around me. I’ve learned to look for international perspectives, along with looking for cultural differences before I make any assumptions. AFS has made me a more aware individual, and that is something I would never trade for anything.

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AFS gave me the opportunity to meet people from all around the world while I'm discovering a new place. Now I have 2 families and 2 homes that I know I can come back to whenever I want. Because of AFS, I'm living my dream right now and I'm growing as a person.

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I love the people from all around the world we meet through AFS orientations and events. It’s always nice to hang out and share our experiences with them.

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I love how AFS has expanded my family .Exploring the USA with my Italian Daughter Rebecca was one of the highlights of hosting, her. I now help other families expand by bringing host families and students together.

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I love how AFS has expanded my family .Exploring the USA with my Italian Daughter Rebecca was one of the highlights of hosting, her. I now help other families expand by bringing host families and students together.

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Traveling to see your hosted students yrs. later is one of the things I enjoy most.

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I love to meet more people, it's great to know about their traditions and culture, in the photo you can find different nationalities like Italian, Ecuadorian, Thai, French and Japanese. We are living in Houston a big and friendly city

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All the second. It is a second life. A second family. A second group of friends. A second community. Its about all the things in your second life that you Get to keep for the rest of your life. You can always come back and visit your second life. You now have afs friends all over the world and you can visit them and go back to your second life whenever you want to. This is an adventure that never ends because you can always go back to your second life in One way or the other. The second life is a life in a Year But you will keep it for the rest of your life.

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I love how AFS has expanded our family and our friendships around the world. From my own host family in Belgium, our five host daughters, our daughter's Japanese host family, the amazing volunteers I have met through my work, and our AFS staff family. AFS has added so much joy to our lives!

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I love how AFS has expanded our family and our friendships around the world. From my own host family in Belgium, our five host daughters, our daughter's Japanese host family, the amazing volunteers I have met through my work, and our AFS staff family. AFS has added so much joy to our lives!

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Returnee, Host mom, Staff, Sending mom and volunteer

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We have connected with our AFS Japanese exchange daughter from day 1. We have both learned so much throughout her time here and it’s been so rewarding to see how even the little things in the US make her so happy to experience. She has got to experience so many new things from cheerleading to track to musical crew and so much more! We have met so many wonderful families and students through AFS and memories and bonds to last a lifetime!

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Meeting so many people from different cultures and having a bigger (AFS) family!

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AFS brings people together! It’s such a pleasure to meet other exchange students from all around the world and connecting!

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Me and my host family in 1980 and in 2018

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Thanks to AFS, Malaysia will always be my second home and I'll always cherish my family there. I love visiting them as often as I can and I also love how they (and AFS Malaysia) gave me one of the greatest experiences of my life. It continues to influence everything I do, even after 40 years have passed since my AFS year. I can't imagine where I'd be today if AFS hadn't been there for me when I was a rather lost teenager in small town Appalachia! Much love to AFS and to my host family/country!

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Having a global family with AFS daughters from Norway, Indonesia, Germany, and Bosnia and AFS nephews from Brazil, Chile, and South Africa.

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Having a global family with AFS daughters from Norway, Indonesia, Germany, and Bosnia and AFS nephews from Brazil, Chile, and South Africa.

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AFS hosting volunteer - family reunion 9.5 years after our Indonesian daughter Ellen's year ended.

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It's a pleasure to meet and work with such dedicated and inspiring AFS staff and volunteers. Everyone is committed to making a positive difference in the world, and we're doing it together. It's always a joy to see each other at events like the AFS Summit!

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Me and fellow AFSer Muaz, from Egypt, who participated in the ALEX Program. He taught me about traditions in his community and his passion for martial arts!

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Since starting at AFS, my experiences here are very memorable. The ALEX Program was truly inspiring, and I often look back on being immersed into such a large group of students from eight different countries. It was an amazing opportunity for the students, too, since they were able to learn so much from each other, and make lifelong connections of their own. After hearing stories about their daily lives, different cultures, and most importantly, their dreams to create a better world, I'm confident this group of students will continue to #PassPeaceForward.

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Me and my host sister Vera, a member of the Maasai community who taught me so many beautiful things about wildlife, beadmaking, and dancing! 

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A collective love for exchanging cultures

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A collective love for exchanging cultures

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Being a part of AFS has allowed me to explore somewhere I never thought I would have the opportunity to go - Kenya! Being able to connect with people from a culture that was unfamiliar to me and learn about their way of life was truly a privilege. I loved being surrounded by many kinds of people - students, educators, artists, and activists - who were all drawn together because of our desire to build a better world through exchanging ideas, culture, and love.