Current student updates: France
Tui sent us an update from France – read on to hear about school, skiing, and language challenges! Bonjour à tous!! This letter signifies the passing of a whole five…
AFS Student
Current Student Updates: Emma, Japan
At a pottery festival (fire festival) with my host family in May What’s it been like living with your host family? Right off the bat when I first…
Hosted Student Update: Lea from Switzerland
My Exchange year in New Zealand When we landed in New Zealand at 3 a.m. after a 22-hour flight, the world around me was still surrounded in darkness. In the…
Current student updates: Denmark
Our beautiful student Summer shared her reflections on the exchange so far with our scholarship team – amazing job, Summer! It is time for me to express my gratitude for…
MEXT Scholarship Recipient Jay reflects on a month in Japan
We asked our amazing 2023 MEXT scholarship student and volunteer Jay some questions about his time in Japan. Read on to find out about his favourite experiences, best advice, and…
2024 AFS Youth Assembly Global Educators scholarship winner
We are delighted to share that our alumna Bella Chisholm (NZ to Germany, 2011) has won a scholarship to participate in the Global Educators Academy Programme at the 2024 AFS…
1950s AFSers: Adrian Coleman and Ron Frew
ADRIAN COLEMAN, USA 1958-59: MISSING THE BUS At the expiration of the year our group of about 20 AFS students was to return to New Zealand by flying from Los…
Current student updates: Argentina
It’s so lovely hearing from our sending students! Here’s another update from a current student living in Argentina. Oliver Although my first weeks of being in Argentina were quite difficult,…
Current student updates: Brazil
Our current sending students are doing a wonderful job adapting to their new homes! Here are two letters from students in Brazil. Elspeth I have just recently returned from a…
Current student updates: Japan
We love getting news from our students overseas! Here are two letters from current students in Japan Kaelin, Japan Life in Tokyo is fast, everyone has a place to…
Sweet memories of Sweden
Kia Ora, My name is Gypsy-Rose Koteka and I travelled to Sweden for my exchange in 2019. Where do I start? I’m just a Cook Island, Māori girl from the…
A dream Denmark exchange cut short
Hine-au-rangi Campbell-Collie returned home to New Zealand in March 2020 when all AFS programmes were cancelled due to Covid-19. Covid-19 had the hugest impact on my exchange. By the time…
“Sheltering” in New Zealand
By Caio Carvalho (Brazil) When I arrived in New Zealand in the beginning of the year, I was full of expectations and dreams. All I wanted was to make good…