A mother of four kids under age 10, Melissa, a Local Coordinator from North Carolina, was initially nervous about hosting a high school exchange student with Academic Year in America (AYA). Before long though, her German exchange student, Sanna, became family. While saying … [Read more...]
100 Volunteer Hours and Counting!
AYA student Leonie from Germany has just completed a personal goal that she set for herself for the year: to complete 100 hours of volunteer work! Read on to learn more about her challenge and the lessons she learned along the way. “My name is Leonie and I’m a German exchange … [Read more...]
Throwback Thursday: My Extraordinary Adventure
My Extraordinary Adventure takes us back to 2015 when Cansu, an AYA student from Germany, shared her American experience: "Six months have passed now since my arrival to the United States. I have had many incredible experiences, for example, canoeing, camping, a wild cave … [Read more...]
Emma’s Journey from Germany to the Grand Canyon
Emma from Germany is spending her exchange year in Arizona and, as such, only had one place she wanted to check off her travel bucket list while in the state: the Grand Canyon! Check out her reflection on the experience: Shortly after my arrival in Arizona, my host grandma … [Read more...]
AYA Reunions: Former Exchange Students Reconnect in Vienna
When you host an exchange student, you're helping to bring the world together. Lifelong friendships and relationships are built across cultures and, sometimes, those connections help reunite participants later in life. Recently, two AYA alumni — Sophie from Germany and Larissa … [Read more...]
Prom Across America: Exchange Students Reflect on Experience
It's prom season! This high school tradition is a fun time of celebration for students across the country. Attending prom is a very special opportunity for AYA students. It's an exciting time with friends and classmates, but it's also a great cultural experience. Although it's a … [Read more...]