More than 100 ambassadors and consul generals as well as thousands of leading executives began their careers as American Field Service (AFS) exchange students.
According to a recent AFS study, students gain in maturity and self-esteem and most importantly, show significantly higher ability to accept and understand cultural differences. But given our unstable world, is it still safe to send your kids abroad to study?
Evelyn Vuko
(washingtonpost.com)
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Join Evelyn Vuko and Leslie Bains, president of American Field ServiceTuesday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the advantages and safety precautions of foreign exchange programs for 15-19-year-olds.
Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.
Founded in 1919, AFS is a worldwide network which consists of 52 partner organizations in 50 countries around the globe, governed by volunteer boards and run by volunteers who connect to their community to place high school students, community service participants and teachers with host families, schools and community service organizations.
A transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
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Evelyn Vuko: Hello and welcome to our chat about the advantages and wise precautions you should take if you are a student or a parent considering sending your child abroad for a year of academic study. My guest is Leslie Bains, President of American Field Service, an organization with over 50 years experience. Let's get started ...
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Laurel, Md.:
I studied for seven months in Chile in 1994. It was, by far, the most enriching experience in my life--culturally, socially, and politically.
Although I spoke fluent Spanish at the time, I soon discovered that I Spanish in Chile is not exactly "book learnin'" Spanish. It was a challenge.
In any case, experiencing another culture, particularly in the developing world, brings insight into social and economic problems little seen or heard of elsewhere in Europe or North America. I highly recommend going to Asia or the Americas or Africa, not simply Europe.
Leslie Bains: I agree with you. Experiencing another culture is one of the basic fabrics of AFS. Today we are concentrating on programs around the world -- not only in Europe and South America but also in Africa and Asia. We have a beginning program in China. We have a Muslim initiative where students from Muslim countries are coming to the U.S. and people from the U.S. are going to Muslim countries. That is essential. The Muslim population represents l.2 billion people in the world and clearly a greater understanding is needed.
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Arlington, Va.:
Since grade school abroad has shown to be a greater system than the US, and based on the US's current media scare on society, why wouldnt sending students to study and may be even become more inlightened to various cultures? Are we not becoming more isolated in this country?
Leslie Bains: Isolation is clearly a problem and by exchanging students with over 50 countries today we hope to end that isolation and promote more intercultural experiences going forward. We have 350,000 students around the world that have experienced different cultures and this is essential and one of the beginning steps to creating a more just and peaceful world.
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Dearborn, Mich.:
Thank you for taking my question.
The short description given of the recent AFS study seems to focus on the benefits of international exchange programs for the individual. I am, however, also interested in their broader effects. Can exchange programs lead to more positive attitudes between nations? Can they lead to better international relations, and if so, can you give me a few examples?
Leslie Bains: A great number of our AFS returnees are in the diplomatic corps or in high-ranking positions in government. Right at this very moment over 100 ambassadors serving somewhere in the world are AFS students. The incoming president of the U.N. General Assembly is an AFS student.
Yes, exchange programs lead to more positive attitudes between nations and much better international relations.
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Boston, Mass.:
Evelyn, or other chatters -- any advice on where to go to find scholarships or grant money for young people going abroad? Most of the aid i can find is for graduate students!;
Leslie Bains: In all the countries in which we have a presence scholarship funds are available and they are based upon financial need. I would encourage anyone interested in participating in an intercultural exchange to go to our Web site (www.afs.org), fill out an application and indicate that you will need some financial aid. We are needs-blind in our acceptance and will work very hard with a family to try to make the intercultural exchange possible.
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Delray Beach, Fla.:
Our 16-year-old daughter will be in Barcelona on a three-week study program living with a host family and travelling on public transportation to and from school each day-what precautions should we be taking for her safety?
Leslie Bains: As a parent myself my first question would be who is my child going to live with? It is important to know that our students are not living in hotels but living with families who are host parents. They are screened intensively by local volunteers who have been in AFS for years. Our host families do not get paid. They do this because they believe in the mission of AFS. And if a student is living with a family he or she has a parental body to go to for advice. We do not leave our children alone to make their way.
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La Plata, Md:
Hi!; I am hosting a foreigh exchange student from Uzbekistan for her junior high school year. We were able to select from 3 candidates when we indicated our interest in hosting an exchange student via American Councils (a program affilitated with the US State Department) I am delighted that our match has been a positive one. My children would like to do a study abroad for a semester program while in college. What methods/mechanisms are in place to help screen/assist the student to consider when arranging for housing placement in their destination country? My Uzbek daughter pretty much came to the U.S. not knowing where she would be placed, and just trusted that the match would be successful. It is pretty amazing actually that it has worked so well, but I can see where different strokes can make for a long year if the right balance is never achieved ....thanks Beth H.
Leslie Bains: There are two things to remember about our AFS program in different countries. Number one, all our volunteers and our families are local and know the neighborhood. All our students receive orientation upon arrival in a country. They immediately go into anothe orientation about how to move about in the culture/society that they have just joined. They learn basic phrases. They learn traffic patterns. They learn what voltage to learn for their plugs. We get really down to the basics right in the beginning so the students feel immediately comfortable. The key is all good programs like AFS interview and screen the students and the host families.
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Leslie Bains: A number of questions have arisen concerning the potential use of alcohol in some countries. First of all, we're dealing with high school students -- not college students. They are living in family -- not in a dormitory. They are under family guidance.
In a family setting in some cultures, a student has a glass of wine, it is under the guidance of the parent.
We do have two firm policies. We do not tolerate any drug use and our students cannot drive cars. We are always concerned about the safety of our students.
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Washington, D.C.:
My daughter spent her junior year abroad last year in Germany and she's still talking about it. As a matter of fact, there have been a series of conflicts between us because we are not as lenient as her "German family." How do we approach this with her?; She's even applied for college programs in Germany next year. I don't want to alienate her further, but we can't go on like this. Is this typical of kids who spend a year abroad?
Leslie Bains Many of our students go to different environments that are more lenient than their home environment or more restrictive. This is a matter of adjusting -- not only on the part of the student but also on the part of the host parent or the natural parent when they return. This is one of the basics of intercultural learning and the flexibility that is gained on the part of all parties in dealing with other people and situations.
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Philadelphia, Pa.:
Hello, Ms. Bains: I went on AFS' website and found that you have exchange programs to Egypt. Is it safe?
Leslie Bains: We have a strong program in Egypt that has been in existence for over 20 years. In fact I am visiting Egypt in three weeks. They have a strong volunteer network and host family program. Exchanges between U.S. students going to Egypt and Egyptian students going other places in the world have been in existence for a long time.
We can never guarantee the health and safety of our participants but every precaution is made.
There are three examples that I can cite as examples:
In April, 2003, when SARS was of concern in China and Hong Kong, we brought our students home and took no chances.
In Dec., 2002, when civil unrest occurred in Venezuela, we brought home 138 students.
And in Nov., 1998, when Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras, we brought home 101 students.
Safety and the protection of our students is number one.
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Baltimore, Md.:
My husband thinks it's wiser to send kids for exchange programs to "western-leaning" countries rather than those that are vastly different that the US. What do you think of that, given the way of the world these days?
Leslie Bains: Any intercultural exchange program for a student is beneficial. The student will develop a lifelong interest and concern for other countries and international issues. You really need to examine how adventuresome the student wants to be in learning another culture that may be radically different or modestly different from their own. It is an individual choice.
The other point I would like to make is the language feature. The vast majority of our students will return being fluent in their new country's language. So one needs to look at what their interests are in obtaining a specific language skill. It's an individual choice again.
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Granted we live in a far more dangerous world than we did in 1968 which was the year I became an AFSer as host in Barbados and student in Milwaukee, but it's my belief that this program and all such should live on forever!
Changed my life! Gave me all those qualitites you listed, as well as "families" in Pa and Wisc that are "Mom and Dad" to this day and 37-year friends around the globe that'll be there forever.
Change whatever you have to change to be viable in 2005 but never give up!
Jo Ann Warren
Leslie Bains: The heart of AFS is 30,000 volunteers who work for us annually in trying to create a more peaceful and just world. It is exciting to hear about someone who has been involved in AFS since 1968 and recognizes the value of our mission even to this day. I promise we will never give up.
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Houston, Tex.:
Dear Evelyn, Leslie,
I'm so glad to see that you all are conducting a forum on AFS.
I, myself, was an AFS Americans Abroad exchange student to Turkey in 1976.
Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of and treasured the time I spent with my Turkish family there almost 30 years ago.
I'd love to go back & visit with my family, but with the unrest of the Middle East am afraid to do so.
However, I have kept in touch with my host family in Turkey and here in the U.S., as one of them has moved here & is now a naturalized citizen.
I want my son and daughter to be able to participate in the AFS Program when they go to High School within the next 3 years, however, I am concerned for their safety & that of the program.
What are your suggestions?
Also, I'd like to mention the fact that just before Christmas, I was able to re-establish contact with a fellow AFSer with whom I traveled via your website. I think it's great that former exchange students & host families can re-unite by using your site. I commend you all.
Sincerely,
Raquel Rojo Clendening
AFS Turkey 1976
Leslie Bains: I think it is imporant to stress the precaution that we take in the safety of our students. All students are insured with a medical plan that covers them from the moment they leave their home country until they return. We have a 24-hour emergency hotline in every country to deal with any situation. We have almost 60 years of experience administering programs for 15-18-year-olds, and I stress our students are hosted by families, are hosted in a local school attending classes full-time five days a week, sometimes six, studying and enjoying other schools and community activities. They become part of the community and do not have much idle time.
Let me give you one example. I just returned from China. Our AFS students there go to school from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. They study from 6-11. Get up at 6 a.m. and go back to school. The Chinese structure is quite different and far more rigorous than other countries.
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Washington, D.C.:
My daughter, a sophomore in high school, wants to participate in a foreign exchange program in which she would spend her junior year in Spain. She's a bright girl, but emotionally temperamental. I see that she's growing and gaining a perspective on some of the drama, but she is still high maintenance. She is eager to go, but is this a good time in her development to be away from her supportive family? Can we reasonably expect her host family to understand and accommodate her expressiveness?
Thanks.
Leslie Bains: In reading your summary of your daughter, I think it might be better for her to wait another year before she considers an intercultural exchange. Our students have to be emotionally prepared for the challenges of living in another country, the culture shock and more than anything they have got to be flexible and accommodating to many new constituencies.
Young people that require high maintenance will most likely not have an enjoyable experience. Wait one year and re-examine this.
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Alexandria, Va.:
I am a recent graduate from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. I was very suprised at the study-abroad program of my university and had many friends take a semester or two abroad. All of them had amazing times as well as made important connections overseas.
I regretfully never took a semester abroad and regret it as something that I should have definately taken part of. Most of my reasons for not participating were financial and also related to finishing my degree in four years (which was also a financial reason).
Leslie Bains: It is never too late to have an intercultural exchange. We have a strong teacher program that you should look into. They can last for three, six or 12 months. Just go to our Web site (www.afs.org) and click on Teacher Programs or a country you may be interested in learning more about.
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British Columbia, Canada:
In 1967 I became an AFS exchange student. The experience changed my life and to this day whenever I reflect on my life I think of it as a golden opportunity to teach me tolerance and understanding. It is an essential bridge between cultures, religions, and languages. It is the one most vital example of how we can foster peace in the world and bring out the best in one another. AFS has no hidden agenda and it is not only helpful for foreign service careers it is a prerequisite for life in the 21st century. Bravo AFS and THANK YOU for my life...I became a high school teacher in Canada and I travelled around the world since my first experiences with you and I continue to know gratitude for my 1967 experiences with my American Family and AFS...it has bridged several wars and the horrible events of September 11. THANK YOU AFS.
Peace and Light,
Hoda Ghamrawy
Evelyn Vuko: I'm including your fine testimonial of the AFS program so that prospective students and parents, can see that even so many years later, the program continues to positively affect your life.
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Alexandria, Va.:
Is it better for students to wait until college to study abroad?
Leslie Bains: AFS has concentrated on students between the ages of 15-18. We believe that they have the best opportunity at that age to grow and learn from the new culture. The family setting provides a better immersion into all aspects of the culture.
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Northern Virginia:
What has been your experience when high school exchange students are unhappy with the rules of their host families. Deal with it or move?
Leslie Bains: We exchange 11,000 a year. A very small percentage are unhappy in their initial family. We make every effort to accommodate the wishes of our students and if we do not think the situation will improve we will find another host family. We counsel the family and the students first and then hopefully make the right decision for all concerned.
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Evelyn Vuko: How's that for a crash course in study abroad programs? Thank you, Leslie Bains, for your comprehensive answers which addressed a wide range of issues about this important experience for high school students, even teachers. Just a reminder: if you have questions about educational topics and don't want to do so in such a public forum as an online chat, please feel free to contact me by email at: evuko@teachersays.com Thanks for joining me today.
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