A Deaf Student’s Exchange Experience in the U.S.

Justin Gonzalez, a YES Student from the Philippines, was cautious about applying to the program because he is deaf. His anxieties melted away when he realized that his host parents are also hard of hearing and that his host school was accommodating to his learning needs. Read more about his experience as a deaf exchange student in the U.S. at The Maryland Bulletin.

AFS Student Volunteers with Local Special Olympics Organization

Maximillien Poppe, an AFS Student from Belgium, has been recognized as a volunteer with Special Olympics Maryland Howard County (SOHO) this past semester. Read all about it in SOHO’s May newsletter.

A Blog Post About Hosting From an AFS Host Parent

An AFS Host Parent shares her experience hosting exchange students on her travel blog. Read her story here.

AFS Student to Rock Star: Tul Waitoonkiat

Tul Waitoonkiat is the lead singer and songwriter of an indie rock band in Thailand, but 24 years ago, he was a 17-year-old AFS Student who was hosted in Sonoma, CA. “Upon returning home, I was definitely a little braver…I also wrote my first song here. It was something about journeys…Sonoma is definitely where I became interested in music. American music really inspired me a lot,” he told a local publication. Read the full story at the Sonoma Index-Tribune.