AFS-USA host parents come from all walks of life – while some are retirees or seniors who are looking for a meaningful way to devote their free time, others work demanding jobs and careers, committed to balancing their sometimes-hectic schedules with the pursuit of intercultural experiences.
AFS-USA staff and volunteers are dedicated to meeting every prospective host parent where they’re at. Some families choose to serve as a short-term welcome family for a few weeks or a few months, while others explore hosting for just one semester (as opposed to a full academic year). If you’re interested in the hosting experience but not sure if it’s for you, we encourage you to get in touch with our team to discuss our range of hosting opportunities!
Dr. David Ubogy, a longtime AFS-USA host parent and volunteer from Oak Park, Illinois, shares his personal story:
“My wife and I are physicians, and she grew up in a global medical family, living abroad for a number of years in Haiti as a child. We both studied abroad in college and later medical school, and then continued medical missionary work through our careers, working for weeks and sometimes up to a year, in medical settings around the developing world.
We were primed therefore to respond favorably when contacted 12 years ago (by who knows what chain of people, events, and email) about a young man from China, who needed a replacement host family. Jin Lai spent the second [high school] semester with us and ultimately had a successful year. One thing led to another, we became [AFS Volunteer Liaisons], then more active volunteers, as we’ve continued hosting for over a decade now. We’ve hosted both by planned choice for a year, and by more urgent circumstances for shorter periods.
Two years ago, our AFS experience led us to a new adventure when we decided to host a family (two young parents, a five-year-old boy, plus two cats) who were fleeing the war in Ukraine. Today, Andrii and Viktoria are settled, living and working independently as their son attends first grade and their cats get fat.
We’ve always believed in global family – that those of us with advantages in the U.S. have an opportunity to build relationships with people and families abroad. And through our medical work, and now through hosting and volunteering, AFS has given us a wonderful gift – our very own global network of young people (some no longer quite so young) whom we will always consider family. Thank you AFS.”
Start Your Hosting Journey
If you’re ready to immerse your family in the hosting experience, browse student profiles and learn more about the process here or get in touch with us.