31/3/2007 - AFS India and its Principles
In AFS India we believe that intercultural learning is about the whole person, as Asha Kamath (India to USA,1967) states:
“The AFS program helped me develop into a wholesome personality. I was a very shy girl from a small town in South India; today I am a global citizen thanks to my ability to deal and interact with all kinds of people. This would not have been possible if I was not exposed to the idea and ideals of such a multifaceted program which helped me develop my overall character and personality”
Most participants that go on our exchange programs undergo many challenging transitions to a new cultural context; a second language; a very different academic environment and therefore, AFS has an important role to play in helping participants make these transitions across cultures by serving as a cultural bridge for these students.
AFS India will reinforce cultural self-awareness, having students reflect on their own cultural identity, recognize their own cultural values, and consider how these might play out in another culture or a culturally diverse environment. Cultural self-awareness is clearly one of the learning goals to take into consideration when running programs at AFS.
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