Program Details
| Program Length | Start | End | Program Cost | Age on Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Year | Late August | Early July | US$8,000 | 15 - 18.6 |
Age Explanation: Age on Departure reflect both the years and month(s) of the age of the applicant at the start of the program. For example, if the age is listed as 16.1 the applicant should be 16 years and 1 month at departure.
Hungary Details :
Old World is the way of life in Hungary: small hamlets, rustic churches, soaring castles, and cafés. The countryside is out of a storybook, and its national heroes are poets and writers. However, its culture, lifestyle, and food are as much shaped by Western Europe as Eastern Europe. Budapest, the country’s capital, is often called the “Paris of Eastern Europe”because of its broad avenues, graceful architecture, many parks, and its bounty of fine and performing arts. The country has one of the finest folk traditions in Europe, producing excellent embroidery, pottery, and carvings. Its musical contributions are just as rich, and range from the rhapsodies of Franz Liszt and the operas of Ferenc Erkel to Gypsy, folk, and rock music.
Year and Semester :
Upon your arrival, a short orientation will help you get acquainted with life, customs, and Magyar, Hungarian. While Hungarian is challenging, you’ll receive plenty of help as AFS Hungary provides language lessons with professional teachers for the first three months, and your host family will be there to help you each day as well.
Be ready for mealtimes because Hungarian families love to eat and dishes tend to be hearty. A traditional favorite is goulash, a soup with meat, potatoes, onions, and paprika; another is porkolt, a stew. Culinary habits are changing now, so the food is becoming lighter than in the past, but without losing the great flavor. Outside of your host family, your school will become the best place for you to meet people and make friends. Hungarian students take their studies seriously and while your school will work with you on class selection, Hungarian and foreign language courses are required. School runs from September through June. There are after-school activities such as school trips, sports, and art programs, and communities also offer similar clubs (including community service) for you to participate in with your friends. AFS holds several get-togethers during the year and even organizes a one-week host family exchange in late winter that gives you a chance to experience life in a different community.
Summer Homestay Plus Cultural Arts Program :
Inspired by the creative tradition of the countryside, Hungary’s folk art is revered around the world. AFS invites you to spend a unique summer discovering what the fanfare is all about. You’ll spend two weeks in a Hungarian countryside art camp exploring your creative side and learning about the country’s arts and folklore. In the art camp, you’ll work alongside local artisans who will show you how to create traditional crafts such as woodcarving, fabric and basket weaving, leathercraft, woodworking, and bead jewelry making. Then you’ll live with a host family for two weeks and learn even more about daily life. The program also offers tours to villages to learn about the history of the region. Excursions to a nearby town that was formerly part of the Roman Empire will help you appreciate your summer home even more. At the end of your stay, enjoy several days discovering Budapest, the “Pearl of the Danube,” before you return home.
