AFS? What's that?

"We are AFS'ers
mighty AFS'ers
everywhere we go-o
people want to kno-ow
who we are
where we come from
so we tell them..."

Repeat the song until boredom strikes. :)

This song is imprinted in my spine, I guess, because it pops up every time I hear the question: "AFS - what's that?"

AFS (American Field Service) is a non-profit international exchange organization and a global community of more than 50 Partner organizations that support intercultural learning, principally through exchange programs. AFS has transformed the lives of millions of students, families and individuals with help from AFS Volunteers. (https://www.facebook.com/AFS.org/info)

It actually started during World War 1, by young American men who volunteered as ambulance-drivers in Paris, France. The rest is history, and can be found here: http://www.afs.org/afs-history-and-archives/about-the-archives/archival-collections/

AFS makes the world smaller, gives young people a chance to become a "world-citizen", and by doing so - can help bring peace on earth. Pompous, maybe, but I do believe that the experience changes the youngsters in a positive way. Why, it did to me!! :)

I have been known to say that every teenager of the world should get this opportunity. You simply can not go to war on someone you have shared this experience with!

"My brothers and sisters of the world" is how I used to describe the AFS'ers from my area in Pennsylvania, USA, after I got back home to Norway. I have a feeling that we would still have that same connection now, after almost 25 years apart and living on different continents...

When I bring out my photo-albums from my exchange-year, I smile. Big time! Sure, there were times that wasn't fun or that made me long for home, but that would have happened at home too... The positives far outnumber the negatives!!!!

"From east to west - AFS is the best!" and "AFS means the world to me" are two sayings in my photo-album. That sums it up for me... :)

Love, Beni