The AFS Exchange

In the Season 5 finale of The AFS Exchange, we tackle the reality of exchange head-on: the moments of challenge that define true growth. Hear firsthand stories from former AFS students who successfully navigated difficult situations, including communication barriers, integrating into school life, and coping with loss.

Amanda and John from AFS-USA’s Participant Support and Learning Team join us to pull back the curtain on the support system AFS provides. They share insights and actionable guidance on how you can access help, stay grounded, and transform crises into personal milestones. Whether you're a student needing strategies, a host family looking for guidance, or a volunteer, you’ll find essential tools to manage and grow through the ups and downs of your AFS journey.

Guests:
Eva hosted in Germany 🇩🇪
Genevieve hosted in Türkiye 🇹🇷
Megan hosted in Paraguay 🇵🇾
Miko from Poland 🇵🇱
Amanda Brown
John Hammel

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It's time to celebrate the heartbeat of our organization- our volunteers!

In this special bonus episode, we proudly honor the six recipients of the 2025 AFS-USA Volunteer Awards. You'll hear interviews with each winner, conducted by a member of AFS-USA's Volunteer Recognition Committee. Tune in to discover the dedication and passion recognized in this year's awards season.

This content was also captured as a video! If you prefer to watch the interviews, you can find the full video version on AFS-USA's YouTube channel. 

A huge thank you to all the nominators, references, and judges who contributed their time and effort to make this year's awards possible!

Young Volunteer Award: Carly Armstrong, World Flags Area Team
Emerging Leader Award: Ally Parrill, Dallas Area Team
Howe Family Award: Stephanie, Lance, and Delia Wells, Columbia Pacific Area Team
Mission Award: Jody Axinn, Capital Area Team
Galatti Award: Karen Small, Midland Central Area Team
Dream Team Award: Capital Area Team

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If the excitement of arrival is starting to fade and everyday life feels a little harder, this episode is for you. Hear real advice from last year’s AFS students on making friends, setting realistic goals, and handling challenges like school, homesickness, and family dynamics. Amanda and John from AFS-USA’s Participant Support & Learning Team share their insights and actionable guidance to help you thrive during this phase of your exchange. Whether you’re a student, host family, or volunteer, you’ll find helpful strategies to stay grounded and grow through the ups and downs of your AFS journey.

Guests:
Yassin from Germany 🇩🇪
Isa from Kazakhstan 🇰🇿
Miko from Poland 🇵🇱
Non from Thailand 🇹🇭
Laiva from Indonesia 🇮🇩
Paagiina from Mongolia 🇲🇳
Amanda Brown
John Hammel

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show | 🎧Collections

Can you really form a strong bond with an exchange student in just a few months? Sarah and Mikayla Engel-Streicher, a couple from Wisconsin, would say yes. They've welcomed three students into their home for a single semester each, proving you don't need a full year to bring the world home. We'll hear how their short-term experience connected them more to their local community and how those relationships with their students from Austria, Germany, and Belgium are still going strong years later. You'll also hear directly from two of their students, who share what that time in Wisconsin meant to them.

Their story shows that you can get the full impact of AFS even if you only host for a few months. We are always looking for both semester families and Welcome Families, who bring students in at the very beginning of their program. We hope this story encourages you to get involved!

Guests:
Sarah Engel-Streicher 
Mikayla Engel-Streicher
Laura
Helena

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AFS-USA's Mission- It's More Important Now Than Ever!

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Jenny Kissinger Messner, an AFS alumna who believes that our mission is more important now than ever. Her journey from student to major donor shows the lifelong impact of student exchange. We'll hear about her transformative year abroad in Brazil in 1970, how that experience shaped her life and family, and why she is so passionate about supporting the next generation of global citizens.

This August, Double Your Impact!

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Jenny and the Speedwell Foundation, every dollar you give to AFS-USA in August 2025 will be matched, up to $250,000. Your donation will directly fund scholarships for students, giving them access to life-changing global experiences.

Double your impact and donate now at afsusa.org/donate.

Guests:
Jenny Kissinger Messner
Audio clips from scholarship recipients 

Other Episodes About Scholarships:
How Scholarships Can Change Lives
The Power of Study Abroad: 4 Returnee Stories

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show | 🎧Collections

Follow along with Michael, a first-time host dad, as he recounts his year hosting an exchange student from Germany. From the initial decision to host and the anticipation leading up to his student's arrival, to how Michael's daily routine shifted, you'll hear how opening his home led him to become much more involved in his local New Jersey community and learning more about himself.

You'll also discover how Michael and his husband Allen got to dive deep into the cultures and customs of Germany and Morocco, as their host son has a parent from each country. Plus, hear insights directly from Michael's host son about his experiences at school and traveling throughout the United States.

In such a pivotal time in our country's history, it matters now more than ever to have AFSers travel the world and exchange ideas.

Guests:
Michael Wargo
Yassin

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show | 🎧Collections

In July 2023, eleven strangers met for the first time in an airport hotel lobby outside JFK. Just three weeks later, they had lived a lifetime of adventures.

In this episode, we're taking you to Kenya for a three-week Global Prep program focused on wildlife conservation and Maasai culture. But as this group of U.S. students journeyed across the country, they found something more: an unexpected bond that transformed them from strangers into a tight-knit group.

We’ll hear from three participants and their Program Leader about the highs and lows of their experience. From icebreaker games in that airport hotel to navigating life with Maasai host families in a village, they'll share how shared moments- and unexpected challenges- cemented their connections. Hear how stepping outside their comfort zones allowed them to form deep friendships and gain invaluable skills that continue to impact their lives two years later. It's a  story of adaptability, discovery, and how shared adventure can truly bond strangers in just a few short weeks.

Guests:
Mikayla Rose Sierra
Ben Fiedler
Luke Benjamin
Nina Gaulin

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show | 🎧Collections

Studying abroad is an incredible adventure, but it can sometimes feel a little isolating. So, how do you actually find your community when you're miles from home? This month, we explore various ways AFSers have connected beyond the classroom.

We hear from Megan, Eva, and Esha, who share their personal stories of finding community, including in some unexpected places. From a German class in Paraguay to a community theater group in Germany, their experiences highlight the importance of putting yourself out there, even if it feels a little strange. This could mean finding a favorite activity in your new environment or trying something completely different. Saying yes and not being afraid of a few missteps can really open doors. Having a group of people you genuinely enjoy spending time with can significantly enhance your program.

This episode reminds us that finding that sense of belonging abroad isn't just about school or your host family relationships. It's about actively engaging with your new environment and being open to unique paths of connection that might surprise you.

Guests:
Megan Frye
Eva
Esha

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Welcome back to The AFS Exchange for the second part of our Founders' Day celebration! After covering the "when" and "what" of AFS's start in WWI in our last episode, we're now diving into the "who"- the people who were there, the early volunteer drivers. 

Join us as we talk with historian Thomas Fife and get a glimpse into the lives of four of these individuals, uncovering some truly unexpected connections and poignant moments. 

We'll also hear about Thomas's own journey into this history, which began with a random trunk he bought in Ohio and led him to the quest of locating a 100-year-old cairn in France. It's clear that the impact of AFS began long before student exchanges, touching lives in surprising ways.

Guest:
Thomas Fife

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For this year's AFS Founders' Day, observed on April 7th, we delve into the remarkable origins of the organization during World War I. This episode recounts the story of the American Field Service, where young American volunteers courageously served as ambulance drivers, years before the US even officially entered the war.

The journey from those early days to the AFS we know now is filled with wealthy socialites, treacherous drives, at least one unpleasant breakup, and the raw determination of young men facing unimaginable circumstances. In this episode, in conversation with historian Thomas Fife, we will cover the significant expansion of the American Field Service beyond its initial base in Paris, as it became a vital support element for the Allied forces.

That same spirit of the original World War I volunteers – that deep desire to connect with people across cultures – is alive and well in AFS volunteers today, whose story is just as vital, though thankfully less dramatic and dangerous. They are the modern-day drivers, working tirelessly to promote intercultural understanding, facilitate life-changing exchanges, and build lasting bridges between communities.

Guest:
Thomas Fife

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show | 🎧Collections