AFS in China

Relationships are build over time, a valuable lesson AFS has learned in its 17 years of conducting exchanges with the People’s Republic of China. The respect and mutual understanding that developed between AFS and CEAIE (the Chinese Education Association for International Exchange) while running the Visiting Teachers Program created an opportune situation for offering high school exchanges. In 1998 the first high school age participants, 28 in total, returned home to China from the AFS Year Program in Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States.

Future plans for AFS in China include the further involvement of returnee teachers as AFS volunteers and the expansion of the program.

 

"China and the USA have many differences - the food we eat, the prices we pay, the political positions we take... I find it interesting to look at the different opinions the countries’ media have on the same subject. But there is really nothing to disable people from communicating with, understanding and loving each other."

- Zhao Jia, From Shanghai, PRC to Kansas, USA, `98