Ayusa InternationalReviews of ayusa.org

Someone from another town 5 hours away placed the student and got the big paycheck for the placement. Since the student was in my town, I was responsible for the supervision. I went to their house for the orientation with another host mom. By the end of the evening, the other host mom and myself were thinking "this is never going to work" this family wasn't suited for hosting. I told my AYUSA supervisor about this but she, not wanting to lose her placement bonus, said it would work out. So, one day, I am at work and I get a call that I need to go get the student now and keep her at my house until another placement was found. I couldn't leave work and I had to work all weekend. The other host mom I mentioned earlier took her in for about 10 days. No reimbursement for food etc. I then took in the student for 5 days. No reimbursement here either. The supervisor took the student in (she lives in another state) and found her another host family. I am sure that the supervision made sure she got paid for the days she hosted the student. What a mess and I was paid all of $300 for this huge hassle! I knew it wasn't going to work out and it didn't.

I completed my exchange year in the United States with AYUSA, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. The organization was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. They matched me with a wonderful host family with whom I had so much in common, and we built a great relationship thanks to our strong communication. I also had the opportunity to travel and visit many different places, which made the experience even more enriching. My school was very cooperative with AYUSA as well, which helped everything run smoothly and made me feel comfortable and supported in my new environment. Overall, I’m very grateful for this experience and highly recommend AYUSA to anyone considering an exchange year.

Ayusa has been a great organization for me. My family has been great ever since I arrived in the States. They welcomed me very warmly and it didn’t take long for me to feel at home. Aside from a few different dynamics at home that took me a while to get used to (curfew, chores…), I have loved bonding with all of my host siblings. The agency has been really supportive for me. Luckily I have never had big issues throughout the year, but my Community Representative Brian Warwick has been extremely helpful and available whenever I needed help. My exchange year will always be one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever got to live. People in my community have been so kind to me ever since I arrived. Kids at school have always been super nice and it’s been a blast to spend time with american teenagers! I was lucky enough to be able to make friends in a quite short time, and I’m truly thankful because one of my greatest fears if not the greatest one was not to make any friends. I’ve had so much fun experiencing all the cultural differences regarding food, school, religion and much more. My favorite memories so far are definitely the school dances and all the hangouts with my best friends! I will cherish those moments forever. A few advices I would give to future exchange students: be grateful for the experience you get to live and show gratitude to your host family; the experience won’t be perfect everyday and it’s okay! don’t ever compare your experience to others’. Just because it’s different, it doesn’t mean it’s not as cool! make the most out of it because this time will never come back! Don’t be scared of what others think and don’t be shy, but just go out there and try as much as you can.

Southeast AYUSA had been a very organization. It has always looked out for what is good for the exchange students. For me personally, Southeast AYUSA has helped me a lot. They have made my exchange year a wonderful one. They made sure I am always comfortable with my host family. They have always looked out for what is good for me. They also resolve problems when it comes to switching host families before it gets to the students which I think is awesome. Because it helps the student not to worry about anything. I would also like to personally appreciate my local coordinator, Scott Warner and my regional Manager, Maggie Warner for everything they have been doing. They have made sacrifices that not everyone could go make. They have endured so much pain from and because of students and yet, they are still always looking for the student's well-being. Shout-out to Ms Julie who has always supported me in so many ways. She is far away but she has helped me by always encouraging me. I am so grateful for that. Words can not express my gratitude to Southeast AYUSA. They have so amazing!!!

My experience with Ayusa has been truly unforgettable. My host family has been incredibly welcoming and supportive, making me feel at home from the start. What surprised me most was how quickly I adapted and built a life here through school and friendships. My Local Coordinator Scott Warner and my regional manager Maggie Warner were always there when I needed help, which made me feel secure throughout my exchange year. My advice to future exchange students is to stay open-minded and step out of your comfort zone. This experience goes by fast, so make the most of it. I feel extremely lucky to be surrounded by such an incredible community!

We have had the best experience with our exchange student! It was our first year hosting and it’s gone fantastic! The amount of culture and customs we have learned exceeds expectations! If you are considering hosting, I highly recommend!

My name is Michelle, I was hosted in Florida.My exchange year was good. I made a lot of friends, got placed in a nice and caring family and also got a nice CR. She took me and some other exchange students to different states like Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. Also during the breaks we had a Halloween party, Christmas party and cultural day for all exchange students.

The experience is great especially because of family and friends.