THE DALLES — On Aug. 26, members of the AFS Intercultural Programs Columbia Gorge Chapter gathered together at The Dalles United Church of Christ (UCC) Congregational Church to celebrate the return of and welcome new cultural exchange students.
AFS-USA Intercultural Programs is a volunteer, non-governmental and nonprofit organization that facilitates student cultural exchanges between the United States and other countries. According to the AFS website, the program originally began as the American Ambulance Field Service (AAFS) before becoming the American Field Service (AFS) in Paris during World War I. The program evolved over the years, and in 1946, the AFS director and members founded a secondary school student exchange program “intended to perpetuate international friendships in peacetime,” welcoming students from multiple countries including France, the former Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands and Syria to the United States on scholarship. In 1950, the American’s Abroad Summer Program was initiated, and nine American students traveled abroad to temporarily live and go to school in foreign countries for the first time in the program’s history.
According to its website, AFS’ mission now is empowering “people to become globally engaged citizens by delivering meaningful intercultural experiences that provide the knowledge and skills needed to help create a more just and peaceful world.”
Last month’s gathering celebrated AFS returnees Annika Baumgarten — graduate of The Dalles High School — after her 2022-23 trip to Germany, and Sullivan Jones — student at Hood River Valley High School — after his 2023-24 trip to Norway. The meeting also welcomed Norwegian exchange student Solgunn Abelvik and Isabella Perez Dal Canton, Spanish exchange student with the International Student Exchange (ISE).
During the meeting, AFS members enjoyed root beer floats and other treats while former exchangees and host families shared their personal experiences abroad and hosting.
Baumgarten and Jones shared photos and stories of their time abroad, while Solgunn and Perez Dal Canton also shared photos and stories of their home countries and their hobbies. The meeting wrapped up with a group photo.
Asked why a program like AFS is important, Rymmel Lovell, Columbia Gorge AFS Chapter Chair, commented on the importance of building connections throughout the world “To build peace in the world, so people can know people,” Lovell said, “it’s a people program, once you know people on the other side of the world, it builds peace.”
Columbia Gorge AFS is urgently seeking local families interested in hosting exchange students. “We need host families to keep AFS alive, and cultural exchange,” Lovell said. Anyone interested in learning more about hosting an exchange student can go to afsusa.org/host-family, call 1-800-AFS-INFO or contact Lovell at 541-296-6546 with questions or get details on the process.
Columbia Gorge AFS also hosts an annual fundraiser selling River Royal Citrus boxes, selling boxes of either grapefruit or oranges. Anyone interested can reach out to Lovell for more information.
