環(huán)球英語—829：Exchange Students

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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Robin Basselin.
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And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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Do you like to travel? Which country do you most want to travel to? Would you want to live there for a few months? Or even a year?
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Elli Michel is from Germany. She wanted to meet new people. She also wanted to experience another culture and see new places. She says,
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"Going to another country for a year to become an exchange student has been my dream since I was young. The first time I heard about the exchange programs I knew right away that I wanted to do that too when I was old enough."
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Exchange students are students who study in another country for a school term or a whole year. In 2007, Elli went on an AFS International exchange program.
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AFS Intercultural Programs is not a government organization. It is also not for profit. AFS has existed for ninety years. But it did not begin as a student exchange program. AFS means American Field Service. It started in 1914 as a medical service during World War I. The founders believed strongly in bringing aid. And their work focused on peace efforts.
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After the war, they saw a new way to build peace - by connecting people from different cultures. So, after the war, AFS began organizing student exchange programs. And they continue this work today. By giving students the opportunity to learn and experience other cultures, they want to increase understanding and acceptance. AFS organizes opportunities for people to travel to other countries for long periods of time - six months or even a whole year.
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Through AFS, Elli travelled to the United States to study for one year. She lived with a host family. This family included her in everything they did. She became a member of their family. While there, she attended a local school.
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"Becoming an exchange student meant many great opportunities for me. You get to know a new culture, learn about different ways of seeing things. It was also an opportunity for me to get more independent. I got to meet many great people and build up strong relationships that may even last all lifelong. Knowing that this small piece of my experience is a little part of the big picture of a worldwide understanding and respecting makes it even greater."
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There are many students around the world who choose to study in other countries for extended times. AFS believes that these experiences will help create a better world. Their website says,
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"AFS provides intercultural learning opportunities. These chances help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world."
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AFS exchanges students between at least fifty different countries around the world. Most students who become exchange students are secondary or high school students. However, AFS also offers a community service program for people over 18. Since the organization began more than 350,000 people have lived in other countries through the programs!
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There are many people involved in the success of the exchange student program. There are the AFS workers, the volunteers in home countries, the volunteers in receiving countries, host families, and the exchange students themselves. All of these people help AFS achieve its goal.
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One of the best things about AFS is its large group of volunteers. These people give their time and effort without getting paid. AFS has over 30,000 volunteers in fifty countries. Some of these volunteers are the host families. But there are also volunteers for every area. These volunteers help the local exchange students meet each other. They also help the students understand their new place. Elli says it was these volunteers that made the AFS program special.
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"AFS is one of the few not for profit organizations. So, choosing AFS makes everything more about the cultural exchange and less about profit. I also think it is great to see how so many volunteer workers happily work hard to make the exchanges happen. Now that I am home again, I am involved with preparing the Germans who are going to other countries. I also help the exchange students who come to live in Germany. It is a lot of fun because the AFS community feels like a big family."
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Many of AFS's past exchange students help train new exchange students from their home countries. So the experience of one exchange student affects more than just one life. Their experiences are shared with their families and with AFS volunteers and future exchange students. Elli had a good experience as an exchange student. She continues to tell others why she thinks the program is a good idea.
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"I would encourage everyone who is interested in other cultures to do this. It is a great way to get connected to people all over the world. You meet many other exchange students from all five continents as well. You also develop and grow in your own personality. And of course learn a new language."
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The host families of exchange students are affected too. Spotlight producer Courtney Schutt's family has hosted four exchange students in the United States. Three were from Germany and one was from Japan.
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"My mother always said that since we did not have money to travel the world, we were bringing the world's cultures to us."
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The host family usually gets to experience the exchange student's culture in different ways. Host families are volunteers and do not get paid. Families who host exchange students all have different reasons for doing so. But Courtney says one common reason is the extended family.
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"I now have three families in Germany and one in Japan. When the exchange students lived with us, we called them our brothers or sister. And they called me their sister too. But there is something even more special. The exchange student's family trusted my family with their son or daughter. Because of this exchange student experience there is a love and trust between two families. This love and trust crosses culture and country lines."
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The AFS exchange student program does not just affect the life of the student. But it spreads out to all the people involved in the program. And as a result, it also touches the lives of people they know and meet.
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If you would like to learn more about AFS International, please visit the script page of this program for a link to their website.