14/07/2026
Welcome home, NH26. 🇵🇭💙
Last Friday, 26 young people from across the world arrived in the Philippines to begin what will undoubtedly be a life-changing journey. After months of preparation, anticipation, and countless acts of coordination behind the scenes, they were finally welcomed into the embrace of their new Filipino families and communities.
What makes an AFS exchange truly special is that it is never just about the studens, but the people who choose to say yes.
It is about the host families who open not only their homes but their hearts. It is about the volunteers who spend countless hours preparing, coordinating, and supporting. It is about the schools that create spaces for learning, belonging, and growth. Together, they transform strangers into family and cultural differences into lifelong friendships.
To our host communities in Bicol, Tuguegarao, Clark, Bataan, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Roxas, Leyte, Bohol, Aklan, Pampanga, Pagbilao, Cavite, Laguna, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos: thank you for going above and beyond to welcome our participants with the warmth, generosity, and genuine hospitality that Filipinos are known for. Every airport pickup, welcome meal, and gesture of kindness brings the AFS mission to life.
Because of you, these young people will not simply visit the Philippines. They will experience what it means to belong here.
As our participants begin this journey of learning, friendship, and cultural exchange, we at AFS Philippines are proud to walk alongside them every step of the way.
This is the heart of AFS: opening doors, building bridges across cultures, and creating a more peaceful and understanding world—one host family, one community, and one young person at a time.
Welcome home, NH26 AFS exchange students. 💙🌏
