Youth For Understanding (YFU)

When I was 15, I embarked on my YFU exchange to Belgium — an adventure that turned out to be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, experiences of my life. Living in a completely new country pushed me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to a world of exciting possibilities. I had the chance to experience incredible things in my host country, from exploring Belgian culture and traditions to immersing myself in everyday life there. Along the way, I made amazing friends, especially through other YFU students, many of whom I’m still close with today. These friendships became my support system and some of my most treasured connections. Like any exchange, it wasn’t without its challenges. I struggled with my host family situation, but YFU was there to support me, and they were able to move me to a better match. It taught me an important lesson — that not every arrangement will be perfect, but there are always ways to make it work. Looking back, my exchange was the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever had, full of growth, laughter, and unforgettable moments. It shaped me into a more independent, open-minded, and resilient person. I carry these memories — and the lessons I learned — with me for life. I still miss my exchange to this day 🥹

I was a summer program exchange student to rural Germany in high school, in the summer between sophomore and junior years; I was 14.5 when I applied. I picked YFU as one of two exchange programs that operated in my school district in suburban Seattle, WA. I applied and listed four countries I would like to visit in an immersion program. After I applied, YFU contacted me and began providing support within the first week. I was asked to narrow my request to one country, and selected Germany, since I'd been studying German in H.S. for two years at that point. After my application to Germany was accepted, the high level of support continued. I was given a full itinerary of the flight to Germany, given a list of packing ideas, given the opportunity to ask questions, and matched with an amazing family in rural Germany. The trip itself was chaperoned and quite safe, even though we outbound students tended to get rowdy at times. :) I had one of the longest journeys as I had to fly cross-country to get to Germany, and then had to travel the furthest possible once in Germany, from the dispersal city in Hamburg to my host family near the border with Austria. Again, the travel was chaperoned on the train and at the terminal train station. They didn't leave us out of their sight until a family member showed up to claim each of us. My time in Germany was incredibly warm, welcoming, interesting, and flew by so fast. My host family are some of the most generous people I've ever met, and really helped me understand people who are different from me. On several facets, they and I are so different. But we really connected as humans trying out this type of immersive relationship for ourselves. I learned so much about human nature; why never to judge a book by its cover; how to agree to disagree on some stuff, more lessons on forgiveness, etc. All along the way, YFU was in contact with me and making sure everything was going well. There were a couple exchange student meet-ups in the region and I got to reunite with some of the passengers on our initial flight. The support and care continued after I got home, and I ended up immediately volunteering to meet exchange students coming in to Sea-Tac Airport and make sure they got their connecting flight or united with their host families in the Seattle area, at the age of 16. I hope this review helps you make a decision to take the plunge and involve yourself in such a rewarding and mind-blowing experience. So many of the seeds of knowledge planted during my visit to Germany didn't germinate right away, but I am still reaping the harvest. Thank you, YFU!

Before I review YFU Belgium (Walloonia and Brussels) I would first like to say that each country and region has its own YFU office and I am specifically review YFU Walloonia and Brussels. Every program has its positives and negatives. I'll start with the positives. This program creates a strong connection between the students studying abroad. Also, all of the administrative parts of studying abroad are handled very well by the program. There is also a fun trip to Paris and a couple of day trips. With that being said, the negatives of this program far outweigh the positives. The program is way overpriced ($10,000 compared to $5,000 of Rotary), the president of YFU Walloonia and Brussels is a very rude, inconsiderate man, and there is a major lack of vetting of the families. Also, they are consistently short of families. It created a few problems for me and a few other students in the program. If you plan on studying abroad, I highly suggest Rotary International and AFS. Both programs are cheaper, provide better family support, and include many more trips.