We are all familiar with the standard practice of “diplomacy” – the process government leaders use to communicate with one another at very high levels concerning topics of great importance. Often, this high-level process, ambassadors arrive at meetings in black limousines escorted by sirens and police escorts, all under the bright lights of television reporters. These images might make us believe that communication between nations happens only through official channels. After all, “what can a high school student do to change the world?” The answer, as you might already have experienced in your host community, is – “a lot!”

Every day, all of you are acting as “informal” or “citizen” ambassadors by helping Americans learn about your nations, cultures religions and home communities. As you begin your journey, you may remember this advice, “for many Americans, you will be the only person from your home country that people from your host communities will ever meet.” That means, for example, that you may be the first “Muslim,” the first “Hindu” or the first “Indonesian” that your new friends have ever met. Wow, when we look at it this way, even being an “informal ambassador” seems like a huge responsibility! The next step is to understand how we can succeed in conveying a positive image of our home countries to those we encounter during our AFS journey.

Share and Listen, too. Diplomacy of any kind should be viewed as a two-way street. That is, both sides learn by exchanging information. On one side, each of us is responsible for sharing information concerning our lives and society. On the other side, we need to ensure that those whom we are communicating with understand us and can effectively use this new information. In other words, we need to make sure to communicate by listening, and not simply by speaking. Too often we emphasize the sharing aspect and forget to listen. It’s important to remember that we are not making a “sales pitch” and that both sharing and listening are important skills in true dialogue.

Friendships. In order to change deeply rooted beliefs and opinions, ambassadors need to understand and appreciate the important personal values held by the people living in their host communities. Learning about and appreciating deeply-held values takes time and trust. The best way to accomplish this difficult task is through genuine “friendship”. This is one of the unique opportunities that exchange students have to change the world. Over the course of the year, you will have the opportunity to build personal relationships that will last a long time. Establishing these friendships is not easy but a slow and challenging process that takes time, understanding and perseverance. You may encounter frustration but you will also gain inspiration and satisfaction. We encourage you to reach out to people and not to leave any opportunity for conversation or discussion unmet.

As we can see, it IS possible, through dialogue and friendship, to change the world as well as promote understanding between your home country and your host community. This newsletter is devoted to highlighting some of the experiences that students have shared with us about their year so far. We also would like to bring your attention to some upcoming opportunities through which you may put your ambassador skills into action!

We have heard fantastic things about all of you, and are so glad that you are all here! Keep sharing, learning and listening and please let us know how we can support you throughout your experience.

AFS Sponsored Programs Team