AFS Intercultural Programs/USA (formerly the American Field Service) is seeking host families in Clearfield County and the surrounding areas for five international high school exchange students arriving this fall.
These young people represent various countries, including Bangladesh, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Chile, and they are among the more than 2,000 international AFS students hosted in the United States each year.
“Being a host family is life-changing,” says Brittany Madera, who hosted for the first time this past year in Clearfield. “I could talk forever about what an amazing experience we’ve had with Ariana.
“This brave, hilarious, genuine, sweet, sassy, responsible, intelligent, thoughtful 15-year-old girl from Malaysia quickly made herself a part of our family through the AFS exchange program. Our minds and hearts grew a little larger since she was in our home.”
“Host families come in all varieties,” Brittany explains. “You can have young kids at home, be a single parent, be a same-sex couple, have no kids at all or be empty nesters.
“You can live in town or out in the boonies. You can drive a Mercedes Benz or a Toyota Camry. You can be religious or not. You can like mountain climbing or watching reality TV.
“And just like how host families can come in all varieties, so can the students who want to come here. If you’ve had the inkling that you might like to host a student ‘someday’, now is the time to check it out.”
Brittany’s husband, Jeremy Cutler, says he was hesitant to host at first. “We don’t even have any kids of our own, so when she mentioned hosting a teenager … I honestly thought she was crazy.
“But now that we’ve hosted Ariana, I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. The house isn’t the same without hearing her singing along to K-pop music or making silly TikTok videos.
“We’re even planning on visiting her family in Malaysia this October.”
Jeremy says it was the words from one AFS volunteer, Marien Parsons, that convinced himself and Brittany to host. “You can always find reasons not to do something,” Marien had said. “It will never be the perfect time to host.”
Welcoming an AFS Student is a wonderful way to help change the world without leaving home. These students attend local high schools, participate in local community life and are encouraged to share aspects of their culture.
They also discover first-hand what it’s like to live in America, and they form lasting friendships that create enduring links between the United States and other countries. In many cases, the bonds that form between AFS Students and their host families last a lifetime.
All types of individuals and families are encouraged to host, including those from multi-national backgrounds, those with and without children, those who are members of the LGBTQ community and more.
The AFS mission of building a more just and peaceful world through international education is best achieved when students experience the full diversity of the U.S. Population.
Host families are expected to provide their student(s) with a bed, meals and support and encouragement throughout their program.
In turn, families receive the support of local AFS-USA staff and volunteers, of which there are more than 4,000 nationwide. Students arrive with their own spending money and medical coverage.
In addition to hosting opportunities, AFS-USA offers a variety of experiences abroad for individuals of all ages. Programs are available to more than 80 countries, and for durations ranging from two weeks to ten months.
Participants do not have to know another language to study abroad, and merit- and need-based scholarships are available.
Those interested in becoming a host family for an AFS Exchange Student, or in studying abroad with AFS, are encouraged to contact 1-800-AFS-INFO or visit www.afsusa.org for more information.
You can also get involved as an AFS-USA Volunteer. Visit www.afsusa.org/volunteer to get started or learn more about opportunities to make a difference.
