This year, in addition to our standard operations, AFS-USA Support and ICL Staff has conducted/shared a live (and recorded version) of a Pre-Arrival “USA Cultural and Hosting Realities” orientation session with all arriving 2020 Fall participants.
This orientation was designed with the goal to offer additional information, support, assurance and guidance for the unique realities students may experience in the upcoming year. We strived to ensure the session complimented all the efforts and resources being offered and developed by our local volunteer teams while also hopefully assisting to manage expectations for our arriving participants.
This session included addressing topics surrounding COVID-19 and how the current environment may impact our participants’ experience differently than in previous years. AFS-USA has also shared this recording along with written information about USA realities with Sending Partners and participants/sending families this summer.
Session designed and facilitated by: Kendra McKechnie, Amanda Brown, Robin Weber and Ian Loumos