HOSTING PROGRAM

Year Program (YP), far and away AFS's most popular option, is a year long educational exploration of another country's culture. The AFS Year Program student lives with a host family, attends a local school and becomes involved in community activities. Students completely immerse themselves in another culture by nurturing relationships with the local community, speaking the local language and taking part in their daily routines. School attendance is required, not optional, for year program participants.

Students participating on this program arrive in two cycles:

Those in the Southern Hemisphere Cycle arrive in mid February of each year and return to their country in early January of the following year.

Those on the Northern Hemisphere Cycle arrive in early August of each year and return to their countries in mid July of the following year.

Semester Program (SEM), lasts about six months over the course of an academic school semester. Like the Year Program, students stay with host families, attend local schools and take part in community activities. School attendance is required, not optional, for Semester Program Participants.

Students participating on this program arrive in two cycles:

Those in the Southern Hemisphere Cycle arrive in early February of each year and return to their country in mid July of the same year.

Those on the Northern Hemisphere Cycle arrive in early August of each year and return to their countries in early January of the following year.

Students on both programs (Year and Semester) must participate in school activities, in addition all students placed in the last year of high school have to comply with a mandatory social work to help the communities in different areas such as: Health, education, environment and other social areas.

There is also an optional social service component for those students interested which in general terms consist on : Participation on volunteer work with street children or participating on volunteer work visiting elderly home's and hospitals.

Students also get the unique opportunity to visit the Mayan Ruins of Copán as part of an orientation camp. They also can participate in some enrichment activities such as a trip to a National park and one partially subsidized trip to the Bay Islands (students willing to participate on this trip have to pay part of the total fee).

SENDING PROGRAM

The Year Program (YP), This program gives the opportunity to Honduran youngsters to live in the hosting country, learn another language, new culture, customs and be an ambassador of friendship and peace. The AFS Year Program student lives with a host family, attends a local school and becomes involved in community activities. Students completely immerse themselves in another culture by nurturing relationships with the local community, speaking the local language and taking part in their daily routines. School attendance is required, not optional, for year program participants.

Students participating on this program can travel in two cycles:

Those in the Southern Hemisphere Cycle depart on mid January of each year and return to Honduras in early January of the following year. The only country of destination for this cycle is the beautiful and exotic Australia.

Those on the Northern Hemisphere Cycle depart on August of each year and return to their countries in mid July of the following year.

Students participating on this cycle can go to the following hosting destinations: Belgium Flanders, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, The United States of America and Switzerland

Age range of participants is 15 to 17 years of age.

Program name:

SOCIAL CONTENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Program content:

This is a home stay and language program.

Participants have the opportunity to see the complex field of social and community development through their volunteer work on NGO'S or governmental institutions and have the chance to get a better understanding of the real problems in developing countries.

Participants have the chance to hear from an expert educational speeches on different matters; such as cultural, art, economic, history and others that help them to have a better understanding of Honduras.

They have the chance to do volunteer work with street children or people as educators in projects oriented to the social and community development, like educational or social projects with woman or disadvantage kids or helping street children with drugs problems or just any project oriented to improve the social or educational aspects of the most needed.

Program elements:

Participants have 15 days of language training, this is an intensive course with 80 hours of classes.

At the end of stay, participants have the chance to see or visit a new or interesting place, where the activity is held.

Participants also get the unique opportunity to visit the Mayan Ruins of Copán as part of an orientation camp.

This intensive program has a duration of 22 weeks and begins in the month of January and ends in the month of July.

Participant age range is 19 years old to 29 years old:

Previous knowledge of Spanish is a requirement.

Program name:

AN ENVIRONMENTAL DIALOGUE ACROSS THE AMERICAS

Program content:

Participants have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with different problems and issues of the environmental areas of Honduras, they have the chance to get a better understanding of the real environmental situation in developing countries.

Participants have the chance to hear from expert educational speakers on different matters; such as cultural, art, economic, environment, history and others that help them to have a better understanding of Honduras.

Participants have the chance to do volunteer work on a project oriented to the protection of the environment, in some cases they work as educators in small communities to teach country people better ways to do things protecting at the same time the environment.

They do a great job to favor our country environment. The working experience helps them in the professional aspect.

Program elements:

Participants receive a 10 day language training, this is an intensive course with 40 hours of classes.

At the end of stay participants have the chance to see or visit a new or interesting place, where the activity is held.

Participants also have the unique opportunity to visit the Mayan Ruins of Copán as part of an orientation camp.

This intensive program has a duration of 16 weeks and begins in the month of September and ends in the month of January.

Participant age range is 19 years old to 29 years old.

Previous knowledge of Spanish is a requirement.

Postal Address: