STUDY ABROAD Discover new things about yourself and find your place in the world by going abroad.
HOST AN AFSer Experience your world through the eyes of a young person from another country.
A world-class intercultural educa onal organiza on; a global movement to develop and ac vate global ci zens AFS Intercultural Programs India is an interna onal, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organiza onthat provides intercultural learning opportuni es to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.
SCHOOLS Implement AFS Intercultural Learning Programs at your school for your students & educators.
VOLUNTEER Join a Global community of changemakers & serve a change agent in your community.
Newsletter Your source to stay up to date with AFS Intercultural Programs India’s ac vi es, events & opportuni es www.india.afs.org | india@afs.org
NOVEMBER 2019 Culture, Cuisine and Curious Young Minds | Kamenori Program JENESYS 2019 | Na onal Gateway Orienta on
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Editorial by Aadil F.
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AFS Effect+ Workshops and ICL Educators' Training
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AFS India First North Regional Member Schools Meet | Strengthening Partnerships- AFS Thailand Staff Members visit India
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Interna onal Volunteer Exchange to Egypt
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Celebrate Fes vals
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YES Alumni | AFS Impact Stories
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Hos ng Stories | 18+ Programs
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11 AFS-USA Summit | Embassy Rela ons 12 Staff Achievement | One Classroom Ini a ve
Are You Effectively Sharing Your Stories of Impact? Have you wri en an impact story? If yes, what do you love most about reading one? Is it the language? Or how it's wri en? Is it about the message conveyed? Or is it about how each story is personalized? Wri ng an impact story is an amazing way to showcase your perspec ve, and the difference you're making in the world. I have had the chance to read and reflect on many impact stories sent by various stakeholders. While many of them did an amazing job in sharing their stories, quite a few missed out on effec ve storytelling. Let's say that Ayesha is a student who studies in 10th grade and has been involved as a volunteer. She is also a contribu ng member of various clubs and plays an important role as change-maker. While wri ng an impact story to be shared on social media, she kept these things in mind: 1. Before wri ng anything down, Ayesha thought: Who'd she be interac ng with? She is well-connected with people of various ages and background. She also has to think about the content and if it will be interes ng to the readers. Remember: Different readers will relate to different perspec ves, messages and stories. Youngsters want to read something ‘real', something that they can relate to, something quick or something which is visual while older genera on wants facts, data-driven content, specific experience, etc. Put yourself in readers’ shoes and ask yourself 'What would interest them?' 2. Details are important: Next thing is looking at the bigger picture. For Ayesha, it was important to connect her work, however small it may be, to the larger picture. She read more about the vision, mission and values of each organiza on and connected the dots on how voluntarily work is relevant to the organiza on's success. Remember: The bigger picture helps you realize your final goal. Before you write your impact story, have a sight of the bigger picture. Take a step back and figure out how your contribu on is important to the difference it makes in the world. 3. While wri ng, she made sure that her impact story is neither too long nor too short. The impact story has the tle says must show impact. Ayesha made sure to add relevant details in her stories and le out the parts which weren’t as important. Remember: Details are important, but relevant ones - is it the journey or the final outcome? Or an equal mixture of both? It could be your transforma on or change-making experience or your experien al learning. 4. Ayesha realized that she has to make her story more personalized to connect with the audience. She made sure that the impact story showed a true picture of her journey. Remember: Personaliza on of the story creates originality and brings legi macy to your story. The impact story should document your journey from past to present and how you want to see the future. 5. Finally, Ayesha revised & added a call-to-ac on in her impact story. In this case, call-to-ac on is a statement used to get a response from the readers. The response can be in the form of ac on as well.. Remember: While concluding your impact story, don't forget to revise and edit. Move people to act. Let them know that their choices can make a difference: a posi ve difference. Give facts on how the world needs them and how their contribu on is a must.. Now, you have 5 solid points to write an effec ve impact story. If you're an AFSer, then we want to hear how AFS impacted your lives. Share your #AFSEffect! Page 02 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Intercultural Learning | Educa on AFS Effect+ Workshops and ICL Educators' Training
#InterculturalLearning AFS Effect+ and ICL Educators’ Training workshops were organised in the month of November 2019. - Ecole Globale Interna onal Girls' School | Dehradun - SelaQui Interna onal School | Dehradun - Maa Anandmayee Memorial School | Dehradun - Shri Ram Centennial School | Dehradun - Vantage Hall Girls’ Residen al School | Dehradun - Bal Bhawan School | Bhopal Group Photo: Maa Anandmayee Memorial School | Dehradun
The Effect + workshops uses interac ve experien al learning methods to teach students how they can advance the United Na ons Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ICL Teachers Training empowers teachers to incorporate intercultural learning in class rooms while also helping the students develop intercultural competences, become savvy about the world around them, and be prepared to make an impact in their local communi es. This supports the global movement to advance intercultural learning and global ci zenship educa on and AFS's mission to create CHANGE-MAKERS! The workshops were duly facilitated by Sarita Badhwar for about 200+ students and 100 (approx) teachers.
Group Photo: Shri Ram Centennial School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Shri Ram Centennial School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Ecole Globale Interna onal Girls' School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Vantage Hall Girls’ Residen al School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Ecole Globale Interna onal Girls' School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Vantage Hall Girls’ Residen al School | Dehradun
Group Photo: SelaQui Interna onal School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Bal Bhawan School | Bhopal
Group Photo: SelaQui Interna onal School | Dehradun
Group Photo: Bal Bhawan School | Bhopal
Page 03 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Schools AFS India First North Regional Member Schools Meet By Komal Mathur, School Coordinator, AFS India
#MemberSchools AFS India organized its First North Regional AFS India Member Schools Meet on 16th and 17th November 2019. The meet was hosted by SelaQui Interna onal School, Dehradun, one of the AFS India Member Schools. The regional meet was a ended by the Head of the schools, schools' representa ves and 3 students each from 17 AFS India Member Schools from North Region.
The second day of the meet engaged the students in crea ng the presenta on based on their community project. The students in group shared their presenta ons and experiences through the brief journey of the community project. Enlightening experiences were shared by the students which showed the success of the project. The meet ended by extending vote of Thanks at the end of the regional meet. The head of the schools, school representa ves and students were appreciated for their ac ve and energe c involvement and making the regional meet a success. We're thankful to Mr. Rashid Sharfuddin, Headmaster of SelaQui Interna onal School, Dehradun to host the first North Regional Meet in their school.
The meet aimed to Engage, Empower and Expand AFS's mission in the North Member Schools by sharing all the opportuni es provided by AFS to students, educators and schools. The meet entailed introduc on by AFS India Team with a presenta on on brief about AFS organiza on, its existence, programs AFS offers, impact of the programs, risk management, strong support AFS offers, inclusions in fee structure, orienta ons and AFS Alumni in different fields. The students were later taken on the site to perform the community service.
Schools Strengthening Partnerships- AFS Thailand Staff Members visit India By Komal Mathur, School Coordinator, AFS India
Group Photo: SelaQui Interna onal School, Dehradun
Chapter Volunteers for the same. The success of the visit wasn't possible without the incredible support from the Schools. AFS India is indeed proud and honoured to have strong associa on with such schools. We look forward to strengthening Partnerships with AFS Thailand.
#AFSThailand AFS India proudly welcomed 6 AFS Thailand Staff Members in India from 17th to 22nd November. The objec ve of the visit was to experience the host schools in India and to understand how AFS India and Thailand can work together to create intercultural opportuni es for students and maximize AFS Impact. During the visit the following schools were visited by the team: - Global City Interna onal School, Bangalore - The Lawrence School, Lovedale - Che nad Public School, Karaikudi
Group Photo: Global City Interna onal School, Bangalore
The school visits entailed the school tours which included seeing the classrooms, laboratories, dormitories and other necessary facili es. The team met the Thai students hosted in the schools which gave them great insights and experience from the students. It was indeed a privilege to be able to interact with the head of these schools and understand their perspec ves of exchange programs. This visits offered the first-hand experience to Thailand staff members on cultural diversity and reali es of India, the strength of STEM and language learning and more.
Group Photo: The Lawrence School, Lovedale
Apart from the school visits the staff members were exposed to the cultural places and also collected the souvenirs from South India which fascinated the team besides relishing some authen c Che nad cuisine, ge ng mesmerized by the landscape of Ooty or living in the tech-city of India (Bangalore). Through the visit AFS India is looking forward to strengthening with Thailand. We express our sincere most gra tude to the Schools, Heads and Educators who hosted us, for sharing such invaluable me with us and suppor ng us at every step of the visit. We are also thankful to Page 04 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Group Photo: Che nad Public School, Karaikudi
Alumni will take on ac on projects tackling climate change issues in their respec ve communi es in the forthcoming months.
#Testimonial
Group Photo: During Global Ci zenship Workshop
YES Alumni Global Citizenship Workshop at Yogyakarta, Indonesia #GlobalCitizenshipWorkshop YES Alumni, Jasma Vekaria (2009-10) and Vyom Raisurana (201011) recently a ended the Global Ci zenship Workshop: Becoming Environmental Leaders – Coping with Environmental Issues by Crea ng the Agent of Change held between the 18 – 22 September 2019 at Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The workshop provided par cipants with the necessary prac cal and theore cal knowledge to raise awareness on the issue of climate change, equip them to carry out local yet integrated ini a ve/project in their community, engage them with sustainable lifestyle, deliver the informa on of current exis ng innova ve project and provide a forum where global youth and YES alumni can collaborate in addressing the issue of climate change.
“The four days of the workshop was a great learning experience. I learnt about current environmental issues, the importance of awareness and how to come up with strategies to tackle climate change. The workshop was a great pla orm to connect with likeminded people from diverse backgrounds who came together to par cipate in the workshop. We worked in groups during various sessions and learned from one another. Working together emphasized on the fact that climate change is a global concern and tacking it needs teamwork. Brainstorming with other par cipants made me realize how some solu ons from one country can be adapted in another country to tackle environmental issues. Besides, we must also refer to our roots for vernacular and indigenous solu ons. As Global Ci zens, we need to connect beyond borders and address the issues of climate as the need of the hour and team up to bring posi ve change. We don't have to wait for government reforms to fight climate change, we have the power to influence governments and corporate giants through our choices and ac ons”. - Jasma Vekaria, YES Alumna 2009-10 “It's kind of hard to say that a workshop of a few days would have a rather transforma ve change within a person; counter-intui ve to that statement, I had li le interest towards the topic of climate change, but happy to report that I have actually become very keen towards the ma er at large- I've already started designing workshops and curriculum to talk to people at various levels and also work towards zero waste and circular economy. It gives me pleasure to share that the workshop did have a strong impac ul learning for me and I look forward to being an agent of change within my community. Thanks to the YES family and AFS for giving me this opportunity.” - Vyom Raisurana, YES Alumnus 2010-11
Group Photo: During Slam Poetry Event, Hyderabad
YES Alumni Facilitated Slam Poetry Event in Hyderabad By Rimsha Rahman, YES Alumni 2018-19
#YESAlumniEngagement “We are happy to share that our YES Alumni based in Hyderabad has facilitated the event of Slam Poetry on the theme of Ac ve Global Ci zenship in our AFS Member School - Suchitra Academy on 13th November 2019. There were four Member schools
par cipated in this event - The Hyderabad Public School (Begumpet), The Hyderabad Public School (Ramanthapur), Solitaire Global Schools & Suchitra Academy. The Idea of this event was to reach more people with a clear message in quick me with the believe in the power of poetry as art to connect with people simply. Slam Poetry par cipa on helped in building posi ve stories and percep on about posi ve PEACE among the Young children who are passionate about new construc ve thoughts. Page 05 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Four best reciters of the Slam poetry were recognized with the gi s by the jury. 10 students from four schools par cipated among them, 4 students were selected as the top best. The jury decided not to rank them.
“Alumni also enjoyed this event and it was a learning experience for us too and for us sharing experiences and answering their ques ons will never get old. Me as alumni have personally experienced that, there's no age limit, to learn anything, because even the wisest mind has something yet to learn"
All 4 best reciters are winners. They are:- Paridhi Sarda from Suchitra Academy, - Syeda Sameeha Fa ma from Solitaire Global Int. School, - Mihiran, from HPS Begumpet - E. Jhanvi from HPS Ramanthpur The event was successfully conducted at Suchitra Academy Interna onal School. The students were amazing with their performance and the event was very successful.
- Rimsha Rahman, YES Alumni 2018-19 Kudos to our YES Alumni for conduc ng the event successfully. Special thanks to Suchitra Academy Interna onal School for hos ng this event.”
Become an AFSer Life-changing global programs in more than 50+ des na ons. AFS Impact Stories New Horizon of Learnings By Kushal Panchal from Ahmedabad hosted in Italy on AFS Program 2018
#AFSItaly “The major change I saw in myself is star ng to know my mistakes. My exchange was a great learning experience. A er my return, I realized many things were s ll le uncovered and there indeed was limitless learning opportunity while I was on my exchange. I could see many differences in my host school. There used to be only 18 students in one class and the teachers were friendly than I have ever experienced. History lecturer used videos on projector which made our history lessons interes ng. I was able to build great friendships with others in a short span of me and my friends were very helpful throughout my stay.
AFS Impact Stories “ Don't worry about the year you think is getting missed because you learn more than you have never learned.”
Kushal Panchal During His Exchange Program
I recommend students to experience the exchange year and explore all horizons of various perspec ve of lifestyle, culture. This opens doors to a lot of learnings. This experience will remain with you for a life me.”
I recommend everyone to go on exchange and explore an era of new experience and gain new mindset and enthusiasm in life.”
By Lakshit Kankariya from Kolhapur hosted in France on AFS Program 2018
#AFSFrance “One of the most amazing year of my life that gave me experience to wonderful culture. A er the exchange, I found myself to be more sensi ve and respec ul towards Women's rights. I feel great and content to do things that can help women and it even feels different. I would like to share with the youth some of the key learnings from the exchange that have made me proud to have par cipated in the exchange: - Accep ng the truth - Communica on skills - Being focused - Handling cri cism - Problem Solving Page 06 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Group Photo: Lakshit Kankariya with His Host Family
phones. The best part was when they all were trying to converse in French and suddenly Louis and Amaury said, 'Oh! We know English'. A er lunch we took Louis and his friend to an ice-cream parlour where they were totally amused with the Turkish style of serving ice-cream.The next day the school had planned a visit to Amritsar. There were visits to The Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, Sada Pind and Wagah Border.
Group Photo: During Interna onal Class Exchange
Hos ng Stories Cultural Exchange Where We exchanged Hearts and Feelings By Paratapveer Singh Bhinder | Student, YPS Pa ala
#InternationalClassExchange “The bond we developed with Louis - our host brother was such that we never wanted the exchange to end. A span of eight days gave birth to deep emo ons to my en re family. This journey of love and eternal bonding started on October 12, 2019, when this sweet looking, fair skin, thin and French speaking guest flew down to my country. My family and I were nervous if we would be able to return more affec on and care which Louis and his family showered on me when I was hosted at his home. The next day there was an invita on by my aunt for lunch at her place. Although we patched-up with another guest/host pair to come along, s ll all Indians in my aunt's house were fully prepared to entertain the French kids with translators on their mobile
In our school, there was an athle c meet in which Louis won the race. A certain sense of pride had filled my heart. They tried various games which are a part of the school curriculum- Archery, horse riding, athle cs etc. There was a lot to learn from them and there was a lot for them to learn from us. The name given to the exchange is 'Cultural Exchange' but there was an 'Exchange of hearts, feelings, knowledge and various talents'. My host brother par cipated in 'Heritage walk' which actually introduced him to the beau ful city - Pa ala.They were spellbound with the royal architecture and the great history, enhanced by the beau fully constructed historical buildings. On one of the visits to Chandigarh city, the marvellous crea on of Mr. Nekchand- the creator of the Rock Garden, was a treat to our host's eyes. I woke up from this beau ful dream with an approach towards reality when the final day par ng with our French friends had arrived. Each host family had tears of love and affec on in their eyes when they waved off the French delega on to Delhi. My father with a heavy heart said that he started to feel he is a father of not two but three kids. I along with my friend Shiraz were the lucky ones chosen to accompany them to the Delhi Airport. The hugs at the airport were more warm and ght than they were on the first day. I waved Louis with a strong feeling that this friendship would never fade away and it was confirmed when Louis turned back and waved at me with a big smile.”
Hos ng Stories Value of Values By Kansai Inuzuka, Student from Japan hosted in Vadodara
#AFSJapan “I par cipated in philosophy lecture named - Value of Values. We discussed about our life's goals and religions. In this lecture, I was fascinated with the concept of 'Religions'. The person who gave us the lecture said that 'there are so many religions in the world, but those are all the same things and the difference in Religions is just a superficial difference'. It was very interes ng for me. But surely that's true.
don't know Gujara well, I was demo vated thinking what my role is in this community service. That's where one volunteer mo vated me by saying - 'A foreigner like you can be a very good s mulus for children just to come'. This mo vated me to con nue visi ng these kids. I even teach them coun ng in Japanses and various other things.”
We even talked about our Life's goal. It seems to be very difficult to find our life's goals but if we are able to find it, all things would be clear. It clarifies what our purpose is and what we need to do. I am on a journey to find out the purpose of my life as soon as I can. We even discussed about Happiness. Everyone wants to be happy but the defini on of happiness is very difficult to understand. Some people find happiness in delicious food and some become happy if they spend me with family. But the defini on of happiness which speaker taught us is different from mine. We were told that deeds which we do without expecta on is happiness. These sessions got me to think about what life and what my role in society is. Community Service: I have been constantly par cipa ng in community service ac vi es since the last three months. We teach underserved kids English words, coun ng and how to read and write Gujara . As I
Kansai Inuzuka During Community Service
Page 07 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
18+ AFS Programs Experiential Learning By Laura C. Sterling, Educator from AFS Colombia
#EducatorExchangeProgram
Group Photo: During The IPSC Dance Fest
Hos ng Stories Felicitation of Marie in IPSC Dance Fest By Sapna Gupta | Hos ng Coordinator | Rajmata Krishna Kumar School, Jodhpur
#DanceFest “RKK felt overwhelmed and proud to receive the honour of conduc ng The IPSC Dance Fest from 9th to 12th November 2019. It has been a stride to give the students a na onal exposure at an All India Inter School level. The School Campus witnessed the lively presence of 205 young delegates from 13 IPSC schools who par cipated zealously and enthusias cally spreading vibrancy in the campus. This was a perfect pla orm for students to showcase their ar s c capabili es & cul vate their skills. An array of dancing events were organized encompassing both Eastern & Western genres which combined four categories garnered into a seamless and unforge able experience. The dancers were at their best and burst with verve and vitality. Their wonderful solo performances were applauded by one and all. 4 Dancing Divas from The Daly College Indore, The Assam Valley School Assam, Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya Gwalior and Welham Girls' School Dehradun schools won the Trophy for their Outstanding Performance.
There are many feelings and emo ons that I have lived through this experience as a volunteer teacher. I think this is one of the most excep onal and amazing episodes in my life - learning all the cultural diversity that this fantas c country owns. Only when you get involved in culture, the people and their habits you can go through every sensa on, smell, taste and sound. You realized how diverse and fantas c covers the India's geography and its socio-cultural elements. Also, I allowed myself to learn some Hindi expressions, the language is not easy, because some words have strong accents very difficult to pronounce. I have learned to enjoy and taste many flavors, smells and unique meals. Indian clothes is also something that I liked a lot. In addi on, Indian music is another diverse element, with such a wide range of sounds, taking into account the different expressions to dance and express feelings and sensa ons when they are partying and celebra ng fes vals. The last Children's Day, on November 14th, I had the opportunity to par cipate in a Classical Indian dance with other teachers, it was magical and excep onal, to learn all the steps and moves, that allowed me to live an experien al learning through ac ve experimenta on. The students have been my best teachers, teaching me Hindi and sharing with me their culture, habits, pleasures and everything that they enjoy as young people. I have always believed that students are the protagonists in the teaching process, we owe them, and for them we build knowledge to always give them the best.
In all four categories of the Fest, Marie Dorothee Requedat, the yearlong Host Student from France was thrilled to be a part of all the colourful, vibrant and energizing events. Her hands, feet and body, draped in gli ering costumes, twirled, flipped and jumped on the stage of the school. Her performance & presenta on in three categories was par excellence. Her happiness was amply evident with applause and apprecia on. She won the award in the event Abhivyak -Group Dance Balled conveying a social message.” The words of PB Shelley compliment the Fest very well : “What thou art we know not, What is most like thee? From rainbow clouds there flow not Drops so bright to see As from thy presence showers a rain of melody”
Group Photo: With Friends
Students Perform Dance During Event
Page 08 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
students seemed all excited from both the countries, showing the best of their talents by wearing their tradi onal clothes. There were all smiles around to see the excitement on the faces of the students when they were welcomed in our tradi onal welcome. Through the journey, Japanese students relished Indian cuisine curries, biryani, naan, paratha, petha and more mouth-watering savouries and sweets. They also witnessed how is the worldfamous 'Tandoori chicken' made and had a tour and session in an Indian restaurant's kitchen with expert chefs. They also had a special session on Indian breakfast by the chefs.
Group Photo: During Kamenori Program
Sponsored Program Culture, Cuisine and Curious Young Minds | Kamenori Program By Devika Sahni, Coordinator, Sen o and Short-Term Programs, AFS India
#KamenoriProgram “AFS India is proud and delighted to have hosted 8 young ci zen ambassadors and their chaperone from Japan on the pres gious Kamenori program from 2nd to 9th November 2019. As the students arrived-on 2ndNovember 2019, they officially had begun their program on 3rdNovember with an arrival orienta on. The orienta on emphasized on the objec ves of the program, understanding students realis c and unrealis c expecta on from the program, correla ng that with learnings of life. Orienta on also introduced students with the facts about the Indian cuisines, heritage and school systems. The sessions were power-packed with mul ple sessions given by our trainers from understanding daily life cultural reali es of India, adjus ng well into the host families and school, taking care of their emo ons, which was sensi vely understood, respected and supported.
The days went by and in a blink of an eye, we came to an end of our one week of Kamenori program. Even though there was not much me, but somewhere between running around and all the events, there was a bond which was felt amongst all Japanese students and Host families. It was indeed an amazing experience for both the coun es to be part of such a program, being able to see, understand cultures, acknowledging differences and apprecia ng the tradi ons and mindsets of people. At the farewell ceremony, we at AFS India could not make any difference between the Japanese and Indian students, as all the Japanese students were wearing Tradi onal Indian a re and dancing to 'Bhangra' (Punjabi folk dance) guess that’s the beauty of exchange programs.” What is Kamenori Program all about? An intercultural high school exchange program funded by the Kamenori Founda on aims to foster friendly rela ons and mutual understanding through exchange between the youth of Japan and the youths of other countries in Asia and Oceania. The ul mate goal of the program is to nurture future leaders who can build and bridge a link between peoples of different cultures by providing opportuni es to experience and understand different cultures, ideas, and customs. Objec ves of Program were to develop the leadership skills of Japanese youth, observe the school system in India, exchange friendship with the Indian students, the rela onship of Japan and India in the past and in the present, learn about peace as unifying factor in crea ng a bridge between countries and exploring the Indian history, heritage, architecture and cuisines
The theme of the program focused on culture, heritage and cuisine and we're happy to have designed a combina on of these elements into the program. Japanese students visited 11 prominent and historical places in and around Delhi and Agra. For example, Safdarjung Tomb, Rashtrapa Bhawan (President House), Indian Parliament House, India Gate, Na onal Railway Museum, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Taj Mahal, Agra, Agra Fort, Dilli Haat and Akshardham (yes, Google them to know how beau ful they look). The ethos behind making the students visi ng these historical places is to make them acknowledged the roots of Indian history. Students also got a chance to see the Guards Changing Ceremony at the President of India’s House.
Group Photo: Students with Mr. Akira Inoue
Students also got a privilege to interact with the Mr. Akira Inoue, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan in India. Students were very well able to relate to Mr. Inoue’s thoughts and sugges ons being a Japanese living in India for many years and how India and Japan coexist. Best mes of student’s stay in India was their mes with the Host Family and visit to the ASN School. The hospitality and welcome extended by the ASN School, Mayur Vihar, Delhi was very well reciprocated by the Japanese students from exchanging dance forms, to food, tea ceremonies, the music of both the countries that were a part of the school presenta on from both sides. The
Group Photo: At ASN School, Mayur Vihar
Page 09 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Group Photo: JENESY Gateway Orienta on 2019
Sponsored
vision to prepare the par cipants with the right expecta on from the program and having a frui ul interac on with the larger group.
JENESYS 2019 | National Gateway Orientation
Orienta on included sessions by experts such as:
By Sonam Luthra, Sending Manager (Sponsored Program), AFS India
#JenesysProgram “It gives us immense pleasure to share that AFS India conducted the Na onal Level Gateway Orienta on for the second batch of 76 par cipants for the JENESYS- “Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths” Program from 17thNovember to 18thNovember 2019 in Delhi. JENESYS’s object is to promote mutual trust and understanding among the younger genera ons of Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, and to build a basis for future friendship and coopera on in the region, and to encourage their understanding of Japan’s economics, society, history, diverse culture, poli cs and diploma c rela ons. Our hear elt gra tude to the Japanese Government for this wonderful scholarship and opportunity to the par cipants. It was a great experience to recruit par cipants from all across India under various themes of the program. We also want to thank AFS Japan for their con nuous support and guidance round the clock. The orienta on was conducted by the staff on various topics like Culture as an Ice Berg, AFS Educa on Goals, Airport Briefing, Japanese Culture & Tradi ons etc. The orienta on had a broader
Akira Inoue, Addressing the Jenesys Par cipansts
Par cipants A ending the Session
Page 10 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Address by Embassy of Japan Official – Mr. Akira Inoue, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi where he congratulated the par cipants on being selected for the program. He shared his insights of Japan and answered ques ons shared by the students. Vijay Michihito Batra, one of the most sought a er and trusted names in Mo va onal Speaker, especially for leadership, who has inspired and engaged with over 200,000 individuals. He is an expert in Japanese Culture and Tradi ons. He shared insights about Japan and how to have a successful exchange in Japan. Rashmi Shankar – Currently working as a Japanese Language teacher at the Amity Interna onal School with 13 years of experience in teaching the Japanese language. She guided students on how to get the most of the experience in Japan. In Sports Exchange (Rugby), we had 17 par cipants, in Science & Technology, we had 20, in Japanese Communica ons and Cultural Exchange, we had 39 par cipants respec vely. This year, two wheelchair rugby players from India also par cipated which helped us in crea ng a more inclusive group of par cipants. We are thankful to AFS Japan for their wonderful support in making the program successful. Par cipants have reached back to India a er successfully comple ng the program. We look forward to doing Re-Entry orienta on for all.”
Welcome To The Students
Insights on Japan by Mr. Vijay Batra
Par cipant Thanking the Embassy of Japan
Mee ng AFS-USA Summit By Divya Arora, Na onal Director, AFS India
#AFSUSASummit “140 volunteers, AFS-USA Board members, Na onal Council volunteers, and staff gathered in Minneapolis for 2019's AFS-USA Summit. The event was designed around one of the objec ves outlined in AFS USA Strategic Plan 2.0 - strengthening partnerships with educators and schools. The Summit kicked off with dinner and an inspiring round of volunteer recogni on, honoring individuals and Area Teams as well as individuals, in par cular the nominees and winners of the pres gious Gala and Art & Peggy Howe awards. Two of the Interna onal Board of Trustee members, Eric Lomeli and Ivonne De Leon, were also present and presented this pres gious award for the interna onal AFS network.
A panel discussion of challenges and successes with schools in their countries - Canada (Anisara Creary), Ghana (Diana Sey), Hong Kong (Thomas Wong) and India (Divya Arora) was also conducted. A panel of educators provided insight into what gets their a en on, what they look for in educa onal partners, and other bits of informa on that will provide further guidance in tailoring our approach to schools. The Regional Directors and Organiza onal Development staff held sessions with their regions' respec ve volunteers to start shaping their ac on plans for school outreach with their teams. All the sessions revolved around the theme of educa onal partnerships - numerous subjects presented in an a empt to cover every possible aspect of organiza on. The sessions would help volunteers to expand their rela onship with the educators once they return to their chapter.”
Group Photo: During AFS-USA Summit
Embassy Rela ons Celebration of 70 years of Indonesia and India Diplomatic Relations (1949-2019)
violinist on 7th November 2019. The staff witnessed the film screening of 'The Fabulous Udin' on 22nd October 2019.
By Joceline Joshy and Heena Shahzad, Staff, AFS India
This is was a great step by the Embassy of Indonesia to share the culture of Indonesia. Social Engagements like these surely help the non-Indonesian masses to have an understanding of Indonesian culture and create curiosity for delving into the culture more.
#EmbassyRelati0ns “AFS India was invited to be part of Music Concert and a special film screening on the occasion of the Indonesian Film Fes val at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The music collabora on concert “A moment of Reflec on” by Maya Hasan, a renowned Indonesian harpist, featuring Sunita Bhuyan, a renowned Indian
Group Photo: During Indonesian Film Fes val
Moreover, it was our privilege to meet the Excellency of Indonesia, and having the opportunity to be touched by his humility, simplicity and hospitality. We are thankful to the Embassy of Indonesia for extending us the invite to be a part of the event.”
Group Photo: AFS India Staff with The Ambassador of Indonesia
Page 11 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
The topic of her talk was "Naviga ng Inner Conflict to Build Outer Peace" and talked about inner conflict for millenials and its subsequent impact on their mental health. The talk included quick surveys, experien al dilemmas and anecdotal tales to take the audience to experience and thence begin to navigate their posi ons of inner conflict. Self Awareness was suggested to be at the core to iden fying and naviga ng inner conflict.
During TedxXUB Event
Staff Achievement AFS India Staff invited as a speaker at TedxXUB By Bhavya Arora, Training & Development Coordinator, AFS India
#TedxXUB “Bhavya Arora, the Training and Development Coordinator at AFS India Na onal Office was recently invited to deliver a Ted talk on the theme of "Mind and Ma er" at Xaviers University, Bhubneswar. A trained psychotherapist, Bhavya was requested to make the talk relevant to MBA Students at leading B school where extreme pressures cause frequent mental health challenges.
Through the me, some prac cal ps of iden fying inner conflict and what could possibly work were shared with the audience hin ng that our outer reali es of conflict are also a reflec on of our inner conflicts. The talk concluded with a hope to build a peaceful world by making conscious and aware choices that build inner and outer peace, as described by UNESCO preamble that states, "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” Theme: Mind and Ma er "Mind and Ma er" bring focus on how the internal and external forces blend to shape one's life. "Mind" talks about iden fying and confron ng the internal factors, while "Ma er" focuses on the external factors. Mental health, which is relevant for every individual, is o en influenced by these forces. Mental health refers to our emo onal, psychological, and social well-being, and is influenced by how we interact and react to our environment. Addressing it is the need of the hour, especially in a B-school, where it is common for mental health issues to manifest. There are two perspec ves through which it can be addressed.
Group Photo: AFS One Classroom Ini a ve
One Classroom Ini a ve 8th National Forum on Education for International Understanding & Roundtable AFS One Classroom Initiative By Aadil Fahim, Chief Marke ng & Development Officer, AFS India
#OneClassroom
online classroom exchanges, educa onal program training for teachers and students, intercultural learning training programs. Aadil says, "Honored to represent AFS India and engage in a produc ve mee ng to con nue bringing virtual exchange programs to the Schools in India. We look forward to working with our Partners to create ac ve global ci zens while advancing intercultural learning in India through these virtual exchanges."
The 8th Na onal Forum on Educa on for Interna onal Understanding & Roundtable AFS One Classroom Ini a ve was organized by China Educa on Associa on for Interna onal Exchange (CEAIE) and AFS Intercultural Programs China from 16th20th October in Beijing, China. This year the Forum's theme was Colorful Belt & Road: Dialogue with the Future. The conven on offered an opportunity to link 100+ schools from China and par cipa ng countries to facilitate dialogue, intercultural learning, and global competence acquisi on by ac vely engaging in
Page 12 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Group Photo: At Peking University
Cultural Connect at Luxor By Yogita Shinde, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter “This was my life's first ever interna onal tour and this has been possible only because of the opportunity provided by AFS.
Group Photo: During Regional Volunteer Exchange To Egypt
Volunteerism International Volunteer Exchange To Egypt
#AFSEgypt When Language is No More A Barrier By Shital Gaikwad, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter “I got a golden chance to visit Egypt through Interna onal Volunteer Exchange Program. Ini ally, I was afraid to go so far in a new con nent but I carried a belief that my AFS family is there to support me. I stayed with a very nice host family. I build a very good rela onship with my host friend Hasna and her daughter Faraah. All other members were also very nice. The planning of our host families was perfect. Everyday we would have lunch in one of our Egyp an friend's house. Due to this, we got closer to each other. Through our talks, we took and gave each other culture's informa on. Another thing which I really liked was this program was solely driven by ‘females’. For this, I would thank my Egyp an friends for planning the program. First I had an understanding that to go in a foreign country we must know English perfectly, however, it just turned out to be wrong, rather- Our feelings and thoughts are more important than language. We visited all the historic places in Egypt and got a lot of informa on about those. Egypt is one of the earliest civiliza ons and has the oldest culture. Egyp ans have maintained their rich heritage neatly. We visited various cultural sites according to the program and their beauty le a las ng impact on me. We also celebrated ‘Indian Day’ where all our Egyp an friends and us got dressed up in Indian a re and cooked Indian food which was loved by our host families. We exchanged informa on on each other country’s and shared some important facts. We once a ended a pre-wedding party and performed Indian dance which was appreciated by everyone present there. Whenever we would go to visit different places the people over there would shout and say 'Ay Indian', 'Ay Indian'. People in the city were a racted to our Indian Jewelry like bindi, mangalsutra, toe rings etc. What I realized was that there is not much difference in the people of Egypt and India. The difference is only of culture and food. This exchange program made me filled with a posi ve change in me. I would thank AFS family of India as well as of Egypt for this great opportunity of Interna onal Volunteer Exchange.”
As soon as I reached Egypt airport, I saw my host family already wai ng for me. All volunteers and host families met in the evening by the bank of the river Nile in a beau ful cafe. It was like another small welcome for us. Everyone introduced themselves. There were some volunteers who couldn't speak in English but we tried to manage by understanding their emo ons and Google translate. All six of us, were dressed in Indian tradi onal a re. Our host families were curious to know why we were wearing a bindi, saree, mangalsutra. We tried our best to explain them why this is important for Indians. They were so much impressed by this look that all the ladies asked us if they could also wear bindi and mangalsutra. I was kind of surprised because all the women present there were Muslim. And I was a bit surprised but they loved wearing those accessories. They started using it everyday. Once they took us to visit a school. During this visit, the girls at school asked us about bindi and later asked if we could give them some. So we all gave away the bindis which we were wearing. Seeing this made us feel very happy. During our stay in Luxor, there was another important day i.e. Kojagiri Pournima, an Indian fes val. So all the six of us thought to celebrate this day also. We got to taste so many different dishes during our stay. Some mes I used to make breakfast for my host family and other days they used to make breakfast. Both of us tasted different food and liked it. We also went to the famous Haggag Mosque and wore a burkha for praying. We also got to see Egyp an wedding ceremony. We gave them a small presenta on about India where we told them about Indian flag, India’s Na onal anthem, Indian food and fes vals, games, dance, music and a res. These were one of my memorable days of life. I can never express in words how grateful I am to AFS India to give such a beau ful opportunity. Thank you AFS.”
Group Photo: Yogita Shinde & Rekha Chaturved During Exchange Program
Enhancing Knowledge And Sensitivity By Rekha Chaturvedi, Volunteer, Indore Chapter “I reached Egypt on 10th October, 19. As a history lover, it was a dream to visit Egypt. And here I was, in Egypt. As we all know that India and Egypt are two of the oldest civiliza ons having enjoyed a history of close contact from decades. Even, Emperor Ashoka’s edicts describe his rela ons with Egypt. As I have come as an ‘Intercultural Program Volunteer’ from ‘AFS’, it increased our knowledge and sensi vity. It develops skills in listening ac vely and respect for the other person, to form our opinions and there are different ways to view things, more than one source of informa on more than one solu on to a problem. I enjoyed a lot and learned many things. The people are very kind, so hearted and loving and talk very politely. The majority of them are non- vegetarian and drink less water but more of fresh fruit juices”.
Volunteers Welcomed in Egypt
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Exploring the Historical City By Sangita Kangune, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter “Egypt Cultural Exchange Program was very exci ng and full of new learnings. We stayed with very loving host families. We learnt each other’s culture, dance, cuisine, methods of housekeeping and a lot more. Going on lunch at a different home each day made us all grow closer. We celebrated Kojagiri Purnima while in Egypt. Visit to the Mosque and wearing a ‘Burkha’ made us feel so different and happy at the same me. We saw many historical and cultural places like Luxor temple, Valley of Kings, Banana Island etc. Our host families took us for community service where we went to the ‘Cancer hospital’ and ‘handicra center’. I can confidently say that this exchange has proven to give me ‘Global Vision’. Each day gave us new opportuni es to share our culture and emo ons. My perspec ves have certainly broadened and I am be er connected with the Global Community now. In this way AFS gave me the real opportunity of Intercultural learning and understanding the peaceful world.”
Celebrate Fes vals Karnataka Rajyotsava Day Celebration By Kashimara Kole, Volunteer, Bangalore Chapter
#AFSChapterActivities “AFS Bangalore Chapter witnessed Karnataka's Rajyostava day celebra on with tradi ons right from drawing rangolis, theme based decora ons, flag hois ng, tradi onal dances along with lip smacking tradi onal food. Karnataka Rajyostava day is celebrated on 1st November. Our host students got an opportunity to be part of this two day Rajyostava celebra on- Coastal Karnataka's Karavali based theme celebra on at Bangalore. Main a rac on this me were Yakshagana and folk dance with Hulivesha. Yakshagana is a popular folk theatre form of Karnataka with a long history of nearly four hundred years. Hulivesha dance form means "Tiger Masque" is a folk dance unique in coastal Karnataka. It was a real treat to watch Yakshagana and Hulivesha performance along with Volunteers and our dear host students.” Some interes ng short notes from Host Students-
Sangita Kangune with Volunteers
Confidence an exchange has filled me with! By Archana Sanjay Kondewar, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter “The experience I had during the volunteer exchange to Egypt can summed by saying that it was a dream come true. The exchange of cultural values began as soon as I met my host family. It felt so overwhelming when my host said they have taken leaves from office only to spend the most me with us. Surprising to my expecta ons, the visit to the Pyramids reflected a lot of posi ve energy when we explored how the bodies have been preserved from decay for 5000 years. Visits to temples and seeing the beauty of the architecture was very a rac ve. We cooked many indian dishes for our host families which they appreciated a lot. Our discussions about each other’s culture, food,language etc. were the real aspects of our cultural exchange. This 10 days exchange gave me enough confidence that I can travel anywhere in the world on my own. Thank you Nashik chapter for giving me this wonderful opportunity.”
Hidetoshi says: “Thank u for giving me such a wonderful experience. I learnt a lot of interes ng cultures in two days, such as show, dance ,singing, food and much more. Most interes ng thing was ger dance, pencil which will become the seed of plant. Tiger dance is acroba c. Dance performance is really good for learning culture but even Kannada speaker said it is difficult to understand then I realize it's like Kabuki which is Japanese tradi onal dance. Thank u very much Kashimira ma'am and family.” Takuma men ons: “Those two days, I learned a lot of culture and cultural differences. Especially, dances gave me so many learnings. The dance moves are super dis nc ve and fresh to me who is used to seeing modern dance like me.” Supakorn writes: “Thank you for a wonderful event. I had fun last weekend. Had fascina ng conversa on about cultural differences with the family. Went to the fantas c Yakshkana show. Got a nice pics with the crew. Had some nice tradi onal South Indian food. Saw ger dance and show from the kids and tradi onal dance drone the aun es make me so entertained. Thank you for bringing us to the event.”
Group Photo: Host Students with Volunteers During Karnataka Rajyotsava Day Celebra on
Archana Sanjay Kondewar with Volunteers
Page 14 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Group Photo: During Diwali Celebra on in Gandhinagar Chapter
Diwali Celebration at Gandhinagar Group Photo: During Diwali Celebra on in Indore Chapter
Diwali Celebration at Indore By Anurag Singh Thakur, Volunteer, Indore Chapter “It was a wonderful experience to celebrate the auspicious fes val with my complete family; including parents, siblings along with their families, my old host brother - Gabor (from Hungary), whom I hosted in Oct 2017 and visited him in Hungary in May 2018, along with his partner Marta and Gabrielle (from Italy), my host son whom I am hos ng currently. We were total 15 members at home during the fes val. It was a nice intercultural interac on. Everyone par cipated in pooja, rituals, ligh ng of lamps, crackers, had sweets and played games. It was an amazing evening spent together and beau ful memories were made. We experienced that understanding and respec ng each other can contribute to global peace and harmony in true sense, and make the world a be er place to live in.
By Shilpa Tanna, Volunteer, Gandhinagar Chapter “With great enthusiasm and zeal Gandhinagar Chapter volunteers did community service and celebrated the Diwali Celebra on with the family and kids of Muk dham. The place is so pious where there is no dis nc on between rich and poor, all are equal. The innocent children confessed that they did not know why and how is Diwali celebrated. Under the umbrella of AFS we all went together to make their fes val a happening one. We all gathered at Muk dham and talked to them one to one. The volunteers talked about the rou ne and guided them regarding frui ul use of free me, narrated the story of the Ramayana and why we celebrate Diwali. All the volunteers interacted with kids individually, wished them and mo vated them. It was a complete collec ve effort of all volunteers. Later, we distributed pack of sweets and namkeen as a token of love to each family.”
On behalf of my family, I thank The Emerald Heights Interna onal School and AFS for providing such a wonderful opportunity to us.” Group Photo: During Diwali & Kojagiri Celebra on in Nashik Chapter
Diwali and Kojagiri Purnima at Nashik By Anita Bhamare and Manisha Bhole, Volunteer, Nashik Chapter
Group Photo: During Diwali Celebra on in Delhi Chapter
Diwali Celebration at Delhi By Tanya Kaul, Volunteer, Delhi Chapter “The Diwali party of AFS India, Delhi Chapter was organized on Sunday, i.e. 3rd November 2019. It was extremely amazing, enjoyable, fun-loving and memorable party cum Chapter mee ng too. The Diwali party celebra on was for our Delhi volunteers, Chapter Heads, Host Students and their Host Families. The party was held at the venue Collec on-O-30095, The IRIS Park, Green Park from 5PM to 7:30PM. We had Hi-Tea snacks organized along with various ac vi es of volunteers and host students. Students introduced themselves in Hindi followed by cake cu ng ceremony. Surprise ac vity of Rangoli Making was given as a task to host students. Everything added up for a happy and lively day.”
“Maharashtrians believe that Goddess Laxmi moves around from place to place asking, "who is awake ?"(Kojagar ) she shows her blessings on those she finds awake. This importance was well explained by Neha to both host girls. A er that we played a long me Garba session a er that we had some individual performances like, dance, jokes, ekankika. Rin and Avani also had a dance performance on 'Deva Shri Ganesha' song and some ladies performed as well.” “This is the first me Nashik Chapter was celebra ng Diwali together with AFS India Nashik family. On 26th October 2019 , all volunteers gathered in the evening. Decora ons were done by volunteers with flower garlands and rangolis. Both host daughters and young volunteers lit the diyas and put it in a beau ful way. Everyone did Laxmipujan and aar . While doing everything volunteers were explaining things and importance of Diwali celebra on to host daughters. The place was filled with joy, laughter, happiness and the beauty of the fes val. This Diwali we made lots of incredible moments of beau ful AFS Diwali”
Page 15 | November 2019 | Newsle er | AFS India
Krishna Pithva from Vadodara, Hosted in USA