Canada

Home to over two million lakes and even more amazing people!

The world’s second largest country, Canada stretches way into the Arctic and includes just about every terrain: Rocky Mountains, prairies, rugged coasts, sandy beaches, fertile valleys and cosmopolitan cities. Canada’s diverse heritage is united by a national passion for ice hockey.

Canadian teenagers love clubs and activities involving sports, orchestra, newspaper and drama. Student government is also an important and becoming more influential in school policies. You may be surprised by how many teenagers in Canada have after school jobs, such as babysitting or working at a local coffee shop.

Host Family & Community

You will probably live in a small town, in the countryside or even on a farm. Parents in Canadian families usually share household responsibilities, and children help out with everyday chores and preparing meals. Many Canadian families are also quite diverse, so you may be living with multiple cultures under one roof. Because reliable public transportation options are limited, families will plan in advance to make sure everyone gets a ride.

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School

Local schools are very comprehensive and try to meet the educational needs of all school-age children in the community, often in one building.

Language

English and French are the official languages of Canada. Some schools will offer introductory language classes, however we encourage AFS students to arrive with a at least a basic knowledge of French (if you are staying in Quebec) or English (for other parts of Canada) so that they can participate in the regular curriculum.

So today I had my first ever poutine and went apple picking! 🙂 #poutine #afscanada

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Food

The food in Canada differs by the region, so for example, in Quebec there is a strong French influence and you’ll find lots of meat, potatoes, pea soup, French pastries, bread, crepes, and cheeses. A favorite snack is poutine, French fries covered with gravy and cheese.

Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure

Go abroad with AFS to discover who you really are, make new lifetime friendships and immerse yourself in a fascinating intercultural experience.
TEEN PROGRAMS (UNDER 18 YEARS OLD)

Our learning program will prepare you for an amazing AFS intercultural experience. The program begins at your home country with a pre-departure orientation and continues with orientations and other supported learning activities and facilitated conversations will help you maximize your experience, cope the challenges of navigating a new culture and community and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding, throughout your time abroad, and as you return to you home country. AFS volunteers will be there to support and guide you and your host family through your learning journey abroad.

ADULT PROGRAMS (18 YEARS OR OLDER)

The Global Competence Certificate (GCC) program will support your intercultural learning experience. This state-of-the-art program prepares you to successfully navigate new cultural environments—during your experience and long after you finish the program. Online intercultural learning modules combined with in-person sessions help you develop practical and global skills, knowledge and attitudes that employers need and mission-driven organizations believe will help achieve their social impact goals. You will receive your certification upon completion of the training program.