Skiptinám í Tyrklandi -

During their exchange program with AFS, students will live in a host family, attend a local school and therefore experience a foreign culture up close. AFS á Íslandi provides a preparation camp before departure (Undirbúningsnámskeið) and a reorientation-camp (Heimkomunámskeið) where students can share their experience with volunteers and other exchange students.

Upon arrival in Turkey, the students are welcomed by volunteers and join their host families. One week after their arrival, AFS organises a meeting to introduce the students to some basic aspects of Turkish culture and the structure of the AFS Association in Turkey. For those participating in the annual programme, two additional training meetings are scheduled: one in mid-February and another just before returning to Iceland. These meetings provide an opportunity for all the students to share their experiences and reflect on the knowledge they have gained.

Each student will be assigned a volunteer (liaison) to accompany them throughout their journey, helping them to understand the local reality and overcome difficulties in cultural adjustment.

skilyrði

Each country may have different eligibility criteria for the students; you can find the general criteria here. Some AFS countries have stricter requirements for applicants than others, the main reason being that it can be difficult to find host families or schools.

For example, some countries prefer not to accept vegetarians, applicants with certain medical conditions, certain allergies, or students with special dietary requirements.

In Turkey, for instance, although smoking, including hookahs, is a fairly widespread practice, especially in bars, families prefer to host non-smoking students. It is also difficult to find accommodation for students with diabetes, asthma, allergies (especially to dust and smoke) or other special health conditions.

We would prefer that these factors not prevent exchange programs, but at the same time we need to take into account local conditions in each country. You can contact our office to find out what are the specific criteria for the country you are interested in.