This year marks the 35th year of AYA, and at this time of Thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone that has helped us reach this milestone. It is an honor to share the AYA experience with such a generous and kind network of host families, local … [Read more...]
Meet the Winner of the AYA Halloween Costume Contest!
Every year, AYA exchange students are immersed in Halloween traditions in the United States: pumpkin carving, corn mazes, trick-or-treating, dressing up in costume and more. This year, we decided to have a Halloween Costume Contest for AYA students and host families across the … [Read more...]
#ThrowbackThursday: Local Coordinator and AYA Student Reunite Decades Later!
For all that they do for students, host families and communities across the country, it isn't unusual for our exchange students to form lasting bonds with their Local Coordinators. However, the following update from Colleen Robinson, an LC from Louisiana, is pretty special. … [Read more...]
Share Your Father/Daughter Stories for an Important Cause
The State Department wants you to help improve the global conversation about dads, daughters, and gender equality! If you have a great father-daughter or host father-host daughter relationship, here's how you can get involved: Submit a story (250-500 words) or photos paired with … [Read more...]
Best of #WeAreAYA: September Edition
Month after month we are reminded of the amazing community of students, host families, and Local Coordinators who love to share exchange year experiences on social media! As fall rapidly approaches, we see so many events and holiday memories shared: first days of … [Read more...]
An Illinois Family Grows Around the World
The following is an amazing submission from host mom Karen S. about her family's experiences hosting exchange students with AYA. Due to fertility issues we have been unable to have children on our own. We decided to adopt a child domestically. While we were waiting to be … [Read more...]