End-of-Stay Orientation – Help & Learning

End of Stay Orientation takes place a few weeks before hosted students depart and offers an opportunity for reflection and planning during the last weeks of their program.

With AFS-USA's shift to a through ticketing model designed to provide an improved participant travel experience and streamline of travel plans, AFS-USA's End-of-Stay (EOS) and logistical activities related to participants' return to their home country were updated in 2022 eliminating the Pre-Return Orientation and replacing it with EOS 6-8 weeks before departure and a Departure Logistics Webinar 10-14 days before departure.

Orientation Overview

The End-of-Stay Orientation is a required orientation which is intended to give students the chance to plan their last weeks, think about how they will thank their host family, friends and teachers, and gain a bit of closure, while giving them a final structured opportunity to bond as soon-to-be AFS Returnees.

Students should be encouraged to review their entire experience, while also thinking about the future and preparing for the challenges waiting for them back home.

Discussions for this orientation will focus on what students have learned, how they have changed during their exchange, and what lessons they should be taking home with them.

AFS-USA has provided an In-person End-of-Stay Orientation presentation (with notes to help with a virtual option if needed) to be used at your events. In addition, there is a Host Family specific End-of-Stay Orientation presentation to use should you decide to have a meeting with your host families (highly recommended!).

Volunteers are encouraged to download or save a copy of the presentations in order to then edit to suit their team.

All the resources you need to conduct an End of Stay orientation are listed below and attached:

Please log your orientation in Global Link - thank you!

Important Note: If volunteers are planning to have a hosted student stay overnight with them for an orientation or other team event, or for any other reason, it is important that the volunteer be screened as an Event Family or Host Family. Such an overnight stay cannot be considered a prudent parent stay. If a team will be using Event Families for a particular event, please start the process of completing Event Family screening well in advance of the event so AFS has time to complete the screening process before the event. Please refer to the Event Family Stays page in Help & Learning for more information.

Past Pre-Return & End-of-Stay Orientation materials:

Pre-Return Orientation Leader Guide

Pre-Return Orientation Activity (optional): Sharing Experiences

Pre-Return Orientation Activity (optional): Returning Home Quotes

"My To-Do List" student handout (optional)

What Have I Gained From My Experience Worksheet