Play host and widen knowledge
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have someone from a different country staying in your home? It would certainly be an enriching experience in friendship and the discovery of another culture.
AFS Intercultural Exchanges is a volunteer, non-profit organisation that brings together people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. Every year, many young people around the world visit various countries on the AFS exchange programme. This year, 30 overseas students will visit Hong Kong, live with a host family and attend a year of school here. The students come from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.
Your family can be one of the host families, either for a year or for a semester. The main requirement is that the host family is willing to provide the love and support that any teenager needs.
The host family provides the student with meals and accommodation, while AFS covers the costs of school fees, textbooks, and transport to school.
If you are unable to host a student but still wish to take part in the programme, you can apply to be a volunteer counsellor or mentor for the exchange students.
Applicants, should be at least 25 years of age, and will be expected to spend only about three or four hours a month with the overseas students.
For details, call Iris Chao on 2802 0383.
