This month, we’re sharing a story from a host family in California whose introduction to AFS began back in the 1970s.

Matt Lewis met a young AFSer from Belgium named Geert back in 1973, sparking a lifelong friendship and a major ripple effect. From road trips in high school to Matt acting as a casual crew member on tour with Geert’s band in the South of France years later, this one connection changed everything. Decades after that initial meeting, it inspired Matt and his wife, Wendy, to open up their own doors as AFS host parents and volunteers in Southern California.

In this episode, we share Matt’s memories of Geert and the backstory that inspired their family to host, before jumping into the present day to hear from both Matt and Wendy about their own hosting adventures with their students from Germany and Italy. As you'll hear, hosting gave them a brand-new family on the other side of the planet - and connections that have taught them so much.

Meet the Guests:

• Matt Lewis, Greater Los Angeles Area Team
• Wendy Fletcher, Greater Los Angeles Area Team

In this episode, we discuss:

• Matt’s introduction to AFS via Belgian exchange student Geert in the 1970s.
• Matt’s continued relationship with Geert, including briefly joining him on tour in France with his ska band.
• Matt and Wendy's experiences welcoming Leo from Germany, and why they decided to host Fede from Italy right as the world was finding its footing during the pandemic. (Hint: it’s in the episode title)
• Their travels back to Europe - especially to a massive wedding in Italy- and the entirely new dimension that hosting adds to international travel.

More info:

• Matt’s blog for AFS-USA, “Geert’s Legacy: How One AFS Exchange Changed My Life Forever.”
• Learn more about hosting a student at afsusa.org/host.

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