High school international exchange programs are key in our interconnected world. It’s no secret that technological advancements have increased our knowledge of the world significantly. In this digital age, breaking news from Asia hits U.S. networks within seconds and platforms … [Read more...]
AYA Alumni Emphasize Importance of International Education: IEW 2018
Every year, the Academic Year in America (AYA) community looks forward to International Education Week (IEW). That’s because IEW is an exciting, weeklong celebration of the amazing benefits of international education. Though IEW is only a week long, members of the AYA community … [Read more...]
5 Myths About Hosting an Exchange Student
Did you know… Academic Year in America (AYA) host families come from a mix of backgrounds, ages, sizes, and states? If you’re wondering if hosting is right for you, perhaps this list of myths will ease some of your hesitancies. Here are some myths about hosting – that we’ve … [Read more...]
5 Questions Host Families Frequently Ask – and Answers
It’s that time of year again… Academic Year in America (AYA) students are starting to arrive in the USA for their exchange year! With host family applications still rolling in, we know that our potential applicants probably have a lot of questions in mind. We’ve put together a … [Read more...]
From Local Coordinator to International Mother: An AYA Host Mom’s Reflection
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...]