6/9/2008 - AFS Exchange Program Helps Change Lives
By Laurie Hindman
The Berthoud Recorder
Two weeks ago, the Berthoud Recorder reported on a student exchange program called Youth for Understanding. There is another exchange program active in the Berthoud community and along the Front Range. AFS Intercultural Programs is the oldest exchange program in the United States. Originally named American Field Service, the program began shortly after World War II with the intent to help create peace and understanding between countries.
Berthoud residents Annette and Dan Bruce have been actively involved in AFS for over five years and have hosted three students from Germany, Portugal, and Chile, whom they fondly refer to as their daughters. “They quickly became a member of our family,” said Annette.
The Bruces have two sons, 21-year old Kelson and 18-year old Trenton, who found having new “sisters” from another country a rewarding experience. “We became best friends,” said Trenton. “We are a tight knit family anyway, and the girls just became a part of everything.”
AFS offers students the opportunity to visit the host country for 6 weeks, 6 months or 10 months (one school year). The Bruce family strongly recommends the full 10 months. “You become totally immersed into the family,” said Dan. “The student will have a far more enriching experience if they are completely integrated into your family and the community,” adds Annette.
Dan emphasizes that when you host a student, you are completely responsible for them. “The girls had chores just like every member of a family,” said Dan. “We provided for all their needs and even offered them allowances.”
According to the Bruces, the key to a successful experience is communication. “You have to expect there will be challenges. You have to sit down together and talk it through, just like you would with your own kids,” said Annette. “They are members of your family – not guests.”
The Bruces state that many people considering hosting are concerned about a possible language barrier. “This is never an issue,” said Annette. “The United States requires that the student be proficient in English. Other countries do not have that requirement.”
Trenton Bruce learned so much from having exchange students in the family that he spent last year in Germany as an exchange student himself. “It was a great experience,” said Trenton. “A year was too short.” Annette said that Trenton came home fluent in German and got to travel in Europe. “It is an amazing experience for a young person. There is nothing quite like it.”
Annette adds that many American parents worry that sending their high school student overseas will make acceptance to college difficult because their transcripts may not reflect all of the normal requirements. “The opposite is true,” said Annette. “Colleges across the country prefer exchanged young people because the experience they gain is an enormous selling point.”
The Bruces say that hosting young people from other countries and sending Trenton to Germany has transformed their lives. “It has opened our eyes and our hearts,” said Annette. “It has changed the way we look at the world.“
Reprinted with permission from The Berthoud Recorder. This article was originally published here.
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