May 8, 2023 By Marisa Olsen
Has the idea of hosting an international high school exchange student ever crossed your mind? Or how about exposing your teenager to a study abroad experience for several weeks to a year? Thanks to AFS, Hingham families who are interested in international student exchanges and hosting, may be possible. For many years, Hingham families have participated in AFS’s programs and the benefits are numerous for both hosts and students; opening your doors to share the vibrant community of Hingham or having your child experience the cultural and international opportunity abroad can be a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
The AFS Intercultural Programs began as the American Field Service, a volunteer ambulance corps in World Wars I and II. The mission transformed into a groundbreaking effort to secondary school exchange to help build a more peaceful world. Fast forward, and AFS is now celebrating its 76th year, and touts over 90 partner countries. Each year AFS USA–which is supported by about 4,500 volunteers–sends about 1,200 students and welcomes about 2,000 students globally into communities like Hingham.
South Shore resident and AFS volunteer Deborah Gallagher shares, “AFS international exchange students are eager to attend a local high school, live with a host family, and discover and experience a sample of American life and culture. AFS is looking for host families to participate locally. Your participation provides both you and the student an opportunity to form a bond that lasts a lifetime, while helping advance the mission of creating a more peaceful world.”
There have been several Hingham families who have graciously opened up their homes to foreign exchange students, including two Hingham families who are currently hosting AFS students from Spain. These students are immersed in the Hingham community; the students are attending Hingham High School, participating in extracurricular and community activities, and are experiencing a sample of life in the Northeast.
Carlos Muñoz Soteras hails from Madrid, Spain. He arrived last August to live at the Brendan and Tatiana Kiernan family/household. Carlos explains, “I believe a year abroad is an experience that, if you can, everyone should try. Some people might be afraid of being away from home for such a long period, but I think that, in the end, it is worth it. Everyone should try it, it is a completely different experience from what you live in your home country. The culture is very different. The things I like the most are the school spirit and all the original things that we don’t have in Spain. The hardest thing for me has been getting used to the way people socialize here. In my country you socialize in a very different way. I am very glad I tried this experience. I would recommend it to everyone! If you try it, it is something that you will never regret.”
Hingham resident and AFS host Beth Mercurio and her family sent their daughter, Lila, to Spain in 2020 and, in return, welcomed Miguel from Seville, Spain last year. And their enthusiasm for the AFS program is contagious. The Mercurio family had two teenage girls at the time, and when Miguel arrived, their family transformed into having a son and a brother. Beth shared, “He immediately became part of the family, and we all learned so much through Miguel. Thanks to Miguel, we found a renewed appreciation of American culture and our own family traditions. Even the little things, like how we eat dinner as a family or unique traditions, such as how we eat ice cream for breakfast on our birthdays – it was touching to share these moments with Miguel.”
Delayed because of Covid, Miguel came to Hingham High as a senior, rather than junior. Senior year tends to be a difficult year to immerse due to students getting ready for college. However, Miguel wasn’t fazed. He went on to join the soccer and tennis team and became a part of the community. Beth shared a moment where Miguel ended up scoring a soccer goal and the whole team flocked to Miguel, lifting him up, and celebrating. “It was such a beautiful moment to watch everyone come together and welcome him. I think these boys realized how hard it was for Miguel to assimilate as a non-native English speaker, and the team had so much respect for him as he made friends and joined the team. It was wonderful to see him enveloped into the community.”
Lila, Beth’s daughter, traveled and lived in Almendralejo, Spain. Lila shares that, “Overall, the experience was amazing and I would definitely recommend the AFS program. My biggest takeaway was the complexity of the world and getting outside of my bubble was eye opening. My biggest challenge was the culture shock and being away from home and missing my family.”
The relationships often extend beyond the exchange period. Beth’s family was fortunate enough to meet Miguel’s family as they visited Hingham to bring him home at the end of the program. The Mercurio’s will be visiting Spain this year and they plan on spending time with Miguel and his family, and Lila will also be visiting her host family.
Blanca Jauregui is from Gijón, Spain and currently living with the Beth Kennedy-Kangos and Doug Kangos family. Blanca says, “I arrived in Hingham on September 15th, 2022. I left Spain excited and very nervous at the same time. It was hard to leave my country, friends, and family behind but, at the same time, I was excited about the new experience. My host family was great and very welcoming! You have to leave your country and start from zero in a new place where they don’t speak your first language. You learn to live in a new language and a new culture, you learn how to open up and force yourself to socialize. You mature a lot in a year and grow as a person! The two hardest things for me this year have been meeting new people and adjusting to mealtimes! In Spain, we have lunch at two or three pm and dinner at nine or ten pm. The upside has been that I have learned to open up and put myself out there.”
Host Beth Kennedy-Kangos reflects, “Our experience with Blanca being in our home has been so amazing. The boys have grown a lot with her in the home this year. For me especially it has been an amazing experience. We have sons so for me to gain a daughter for the short period of this year has been such a blessing. She is such a bright light, we are appreciative to have such a strong, smart young woman to share this experience with. I cannot wait to see how she takes on the world after she leaves here.”
Are you ready to welcome a new family member? Deb Gallagher, AFS volunteer, outlines below important information for interested families and students:
- YOU choose a student who best fits your family’s interests and lifestyle.
- Foreign exchange students candidates will possess strong academics, a solid knowledge of English, and have interests in sports or extracurricular activities that will make them a good fit for HHS.
- Students arrive in August and depart in June.
For more, information email local volunteer Deb Gallagher, dgafs@yahoo.com or visit AFS-USA.
What a Host Family Can Expect
Host Family Requirements: All kinds of families can host—two-parent households with young children or teenagers, single-parent families, families with adopted children, foster parents, as well as couples and single people who do not have children or who have grown children.
You’re expected to share your daily lives, which includes:
- Provide a bed (student can share a bedroom with one other same sex student).
- Provide all meals (including school lunch and family restaurant meals).
- Provide transportation (students can ride the bus but will need rides for after school activities, social events).
- Show the same care and support you’d provide your own child.
Student Requirements
A student must work to integrate into the family to become a true family member, follow family rules, share household chores, do their best in school, participate in extracurricular activities to connect to the school community, volunteer in the community where possible, and attend three mandatory AFS volunteer-led orientations during the school year (September, January, June).
Students Arrive With: Health insurance and spending money/debit card from biological parents (for clothes, gifts, personal items, social activities with friends, cell phone expenses).
Local Volunteers Provide: ongoing support to families and students throughout the year to help you both get the most out of your time together. A local liaison contacts both you and your student monthly to answer any questions or concerns and help you adjust to life together. A local Support Coordinator is available to meet with liaisons, families, and students to address concerns. A support department in the New York City office is available to consult with volunteers as needed. Local Support volunteers conduct three student orientations to discuss timely topics. There are occasional social events so area families and students can spend time together.
Our family hosted a student from Thailand about 20 years ago and we still consider her our daughter/sister! We’ve been to visit and meet her family Bangkok several times and she’s been back to see us. She and my daughter both had baby girls last year and we’ve already had a meet up! Hosting Apinya is one of the best things we’ve done and I heartily encourage anyone to open their homes and hearts – it will change your life!