India

Humility, nonviolence and respect for the elderly tend to be universal values in India. Sharing and the community are also very important – you can even share the food on your plate with others freely as a sign of closeness. People in India usually focus more on the needs of the group over an individual. The Indian communication style tends to be rather indirect, and you will rarely hear someone saying an outright no to an invitation. Vegetarianism is quite common in India.

A photo posted by Kate Gilbert (@kaaycoo) on Nov 22, 2015 at 9:15am PST

You may be hosted anywhere in India. No matter where you are, several generations often live together, and decisions about education or marriage are rarely made without consulting other family members. The Indian sense of community means that you should try and spend as much time as possible with others at home, rather than be alone behind closed doors.

India is notable for its religious diversity, with Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism among the nation’s major religions. 79.8% of the population are Hindu, 14.2% are Muslim, 2.3% are Christian, and 3.7% follow other religions! Religious tolerance is very important for any AFS participant in India.

मुझे भारत पसंद है

A photo posted by Olivia Persson (@oliviaperss0n) on Jul 16, 2016 at 6:21am PDT

Hindi and English are the official languages, but you can expect to speak English during most of your exchange in India and should know it before the program. There are 22 different languages that have been recognised by the Constitution of India, as well as other local languages and dialects depending on the area.

Food is a big part of Indian culture, and it is as diverse as you can imagine depending on the region. Full of flavor and often spicy, meals are a great time to socialise and be with your family. Indian cuisine consists of lots of vegetables, beans, lentils, rice and only sometimes meat, so vegetarians will have plenty of options to choose from. A large section of the Indian population is vegetarian, not having even eggs. Their diet includes lot of milk and dairy products.

TEEN PROGRAMS (UNDER 18 YEARS OLD)

Our learning program will prepare you for an amazing AFS intercultural experience. The program begins at your home country with a pre-departure orientation and continues with orientations and other supported learning activities and facilitated conversations will help you maximize your experience, cope the challenges of navigating a new culture and community and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding, throughout your time abroad, and as you return to you home country. AFS volunteers will be there to support and guide you and your host family through your learning journey abroad.

ADULT PROGRAMS (18 YEARS OR OLDER)

The Global Competence Certificate (GCC) program will support your intercultural learning experience. This state-of-the-art program prepares you to successfully navigate new cultural environments—during your AFSNext experience and long after you finish the program. Online intercultural learning modules combined with in-person sessions help you develop practical and global skills, knowledge and attitudes that employers need and mission-driven organizations believe will help achieve their social impact goals. You will receive your certification upon completion of the training program.