AFS Foreign Exchange Program Helping To Expose Students To Other Cultures

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – AFS-USA is giving students incredible opportunities by partnering them with families all around the world.

Shahmir Ghafoor, 16, is from Pakistan. He has spent the past seven months living with a family in Fox Chapel.

"It's just been a really amazing experience and I just love every single bit of it," Ghafoor said.

Ghafoor is having the time of his life learning about American culture and it's all thanks to AFS.

He's enrolled as a junior at Fox Chapel High School and he's had all sorts of opportunities, like exploring Washington, D.C.

While he's learning a ton, he's not the only one.

Other students and teachers, like art teacher, Jody Shell, are finding the experience just as rewarding.

"It's more real because you have somebody that you can ask questions of and you get an idea of what's happening in their culture as well. He's also done presentations on Pakistan art forms, which has really helped in my classroom," Shell said.

One of Ghafoor's favorite parts of being in America so far were the holidays, especially Christmas. Believe it or not, he has also enjoyed the Pittsburgh weather.

In Pakistan, we do have snow, but the place where I live, we don't have snow. So, for the first time ever I've seen snow here, so I was really excited about that," he said.

He'll be in the United States for another five months before heading home.

One thing he hopes to take back to Pakistan is America's strong spirit of volunteerism.