For this month’s episode of The AFS Exchange podcast, we’re sharing a story from a host family in California whose introduction to AFS began back in the 1970s.

Matt Lewis met a young AFSer from Belgium named Geert back in 1973, sparking a lifelong friendship and a major ripple effect. From road trips in high school to Matt acting as a casual groupie on tour with Geert’s band in the South of France years later, this one connection changed everything. Decades after that initial meeting, it inspired Matt and his wife, Wendy, to open up their own doors as AFS host parents and volunteers in Southern California.

As you’ll hear in the episode, hosting gave them a brand-new family on the other side of the planet – and connections that have taught them so much.

Listen now at afsusa.org/podcast!