AFC Host Families
An AFS host family provides their student with:
1. The opportunity to participate in the family’s daily lives and events 2. The same care, support, and comfort they would give another member of the family 3. A bed, not convertible or inflatable; sharing a room with a sibling of the same gender close in age is fine 4. Three quality meals, including lunches and meals eaten as a family in restaurants
Because the students arrive in August, there is a mid-July deadline to complete the hosting application process. Monroe AFS volunteer, Lisa Hendrickson, is looking for families to host students coming to this area in August for the 2022/23 school year. Contact Lisa Hendrickson at lisahen3@gmail.com / 608 558-0091 or go to afsusa.org for information and to start the hosting application process.
MONROE — Five international exchange students completed their year in Monroe and celebrated their experience with Carolyn Schultz, AFS International Exchange Club advisor at Monroe High School.
Santiago (Santi) Mucharraz from Mexico, hosted by Jerry and Jacqueline Boss, Dante Giordano from Italy, hosted by Bill and Jaime Batz, Finda David from Indonesia, hosted by Matt and Peg Sheaffer, Nazlihan Yumrukaya from Turkey, hosted by Frank and Cassy Wolf, and Lola Parga del Pozo from Spain, hosted by Brittany Werrline-Trimble and James Trimble, arrived at the beginning of the school year and will depart in June.
The students enjoyed Monroe High School, where they could choose their classes and participate in clubs and sports that schools in their countries do not offer. They made friends and learned new skills by joining cross country, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and track. Their other extracurricular experiences included AFS International Exchange Club, Junior Optimists, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Rocket Club, and Forensics. In tennis, Dante competed in the sectional tournament, and Finda earned a gold medal for a perfect score in extemporaneous speaking at the state forensics competition. In addition, Nazlihan discovered new talents when she took art classes.
When asked to choose one memory from his year, Dante remembered the first time he saw the high school. It was one of the best and biggest schools he had ever attended. Santi remembered the bus rides home from tennis. In addition to winning the forensics gold medal, Finda remembered going to an Indonesian supermarket with her host family and a day in Freeport with friends. Lola referred to going to Wisconsin Dells and Florida and winning her last basketball game. Nazlihan couldn’t pick a memory because the people she met “made amazing every moment” she had with them.
The students return to their home countries, having learned to be stronger and more independent. In addition, they have learned to share their feelings with their families and exchange liaisons who helped them work through challenges. While improving their command of the English language, the students experienced and adapted to a new culture. According to Dante, “I have learned to understand different views and the reason for those differences and finally adapt myself to those differences when necessary, but also remain me and perhaps change other people’s views or teach them different ones.”
The AFS Intercultural Program sponsored Dante, Nazlihan, and Finda. Santi came with the ICES Student Exchange and Academic Programs, and International Student Exchange sponsored Lola’s exchange.
Local volunteers have sponsored AFS Intercultural Programs in Monroe since 1963. During this time, Monroe families hosted 162 exchange students from 50 countries and sent 48 Monroe students abroad to 29 countries.
There are many types of host families, from families with single parents, teenagers, young children, or no children. AFS exchange students come with their own spending money, full health insurance, liaison support, and cultural orientations throughout the year. Host families can choose a student who would be a good match for them. Time frames for hosting a student include a ten-month stay from August through June or, in some cases, a second-semester placement.
