AFS of San Antonio is looking for host families in our area who are interested in hosting an exchange student!
Have you ever considered hosting a student from a foreign country? It is an unforgettable experience: one you are sure to treasure for the rest of your life. An AFS student is not a tourist. He or she becomes a member of your family in every way.
This is how it works: A carefully selected high school-age student from one of more than 55 countries comes to live as a member of your family. Generally, the students have strong academic records. All speak some English, and many speak it very well.
For up to 11 months, he or she goes to school in our community, plays with the dog, goes to the movies with the rest of the family, struggles with homework, plays on the high school team, and acts and lives just like a normal teenager-- despite the difference in language and culture.
Your family will inevitably become more sensitve to global issues, which are becoming more and more important to all of us. And, as AFS host families have discovered for over 47 years, you will become move appreciative of your own culture and values.
What makes a good host family? Open-mindedness, flexibility, a sense of humor, and a basic sense of curiosity about the world and its people. AFS host parents include couples with or without children, single people with or without children, and couples whose children no longer live at home.
AFS has set the standard for placing students with familes.
This is done after an extensive evaluation of the student's background and the host family's needs. AFS volunteers are trained to make your experience as rewarding as possible.
A San Antonio volunteer will be available to help you and your student with any adjustments needed to make the experience a success. (If you do not live in the
San Antonio area, a local volunteer in your region will be available)
As an AFS host family, you always have the local, state, national, and international support network of AFS volunteers. AFS maintains a 24-hour emergency service at AFS headquarters in New York, which is linked to the entire AFS world.
If you are going to invest your family's time and money in a student exchange organization program, you want it to be the right organization. When you host an AFS student, your family will be supported by one of the largest and most experienced student exchange organizations in the world.
Host
with AFS
"I
am so glad I listened to my daughter when she wanted to host an exchange
student. We thought we had plenty of time to enjoy Marion's stay, but it was
over all too soon."
--Bonnie
Sweeney, Orangeville, Pennsylvania
Every
year, thousands of families across the U.S. make the decision to host an
international exchange student. The benefits to the family are many--the
opportunity to learn more about the world without leaving home, the chance to
form lasting friendships, and a shared experience that brings the entire family
closer together.
Who
can be an AFS host family? Two-parent families with children or teens, families
with adopted or foster children, and single people or couples with or without
children. The one thing all AFS host families have in common is a willingness to
open their hearts and their homes to young people, age 15 to 18, from other
countries. These motivated teens are eager to learn about U.S. culture,
language, and lifestyle-your America.
When
you agree to be an AFS host, we work carefully with you to match a student with
your family. We also provide you and your student with continuous support
including orientations and counseling. All AFS students have demonstrated some
English language proficiency and bring their own spending money and medical
coverage.
For
More Information: 1-800-AFS-INFO
"The
love we now share as a global family has changed us forever, enriching our lives
beyond our wildest dreams. We have experienced love in three languages."
--La
Point Family, Russell, New York
Families
provide a bed (sharing a room is fine), food, love, and guidance. Your exchange
student will quickly become a member of your family.
More
than 100,000 volunteers have worked with AFS worldwide--maybe even in your own
community. To get in touch with your local representative and to learn more
about hosting a student, call 1-800-AFS-INFO or visit our web site at http://www.afs.org/usa.
AFS
volunteers help bring the concept of global understanding home to local
communities in a very real and tangible warm-they form the heart of AFS.
When
you become an AFS volunteer, you'll make new friends, share experiences, expand
your world view, have fun, and help others as you work for a more just and
peaceful world, right in your own backyard!
You
can give a little time or a lot. You may choose a one-time task or participate
in an ongoing assignment.
Here
are some ways you can get involved today:
Serve
as a contact to your local high school
Donate
office space, in-kind goods, or professional services
Interview
U.S. students who are planning to go abroad, to help answer their questions and
guide them in making the best choices
Have
fun organizing and participating in AFS-sponsored activities, such as talent
shows, international nights, picnics, orientation events, and more
Act
as an ambassador from your local community to help foreign students adjust to
life in the U.S.
Help
identify families to host students from abroad
Learn more! Call 1-800-AFS-INFO or register on our web site at http://www.afs.org/usa.
Take the next step: Contact AFS of San Antonio today!
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