EVENTS (The four main orientations):
AFS Hungary will arrange an orientation when you arrive in Hungary. The goal of this training is to familiarize you better with Hungary, to learn more about Hungarian culture, traditions, values, lifestyle, and, last but not least, to help you learn and acquire the Hungarian language. Please take a towel and clothes for two days! After the orientation you will meet your host family. In case your host family cannot come to pick you up, there is no need to worry; AFS Hungary will make sure that you will be escorted to your host family.
The post-arrival orientation aims to follow up on the experience of the students in the first few weeks of their exchange program. The students have the possibility to speak about their first impressions, share how they feel about their new community, school, family and daily routine. They can talk about their adjustment challenges. It is held regionally in 3-4 groups.
At the middle of the program a two-day ”mid-stay orientation” covers adjustment issues in more detail. It also helps you evaluate your achievements so far and set up new goals for the rest of the program.
At the end of the program the ”end-of-stay orientation” provides you with the opportunity to say good-bye to your AFS friends. It also helps you make aware of readjustment difficulties you may face in your country and prepares you how to cope with them after arrival.
COUNSELLING
Although a lot is going to happen to you in the following months, sometimes you will feel homesick and lost. It doesn’t necessarily indicate that you are displeased with your stay in Hungary. Becoming involved in a lot of different activities instead of sitting alone in your room helps you get over inevitable difficult moments. Please remember that you can always turn to your host family, support volunteer, local chapter president and other AFS volunteers or to the AFS office. Even if you feel lonely, you are never alone.
When you need help, AFS is always available. We would like to encourage you to try to solve problems, arguments yourself first with the person(s) you disagree with, and then with the help of the support volunteer and other volunteers. If this does not work out, you can turn to the hosting program coordinator in the AFS Office.
REIMBURSEMENT
AFS Hungary reimburses the following expenses to you:
• costs of travel to and from the place of the AFS event and your home
• costs of going to school
• medical costs during the year
• school lunch
PLEASE NOTE:
In every case of request for reimbursement, an official bill called „ÁFÁ-s számla” with AFS Hungary’s name and address /see here/ on it is required for accounting purposes! Without this AFS Hungary is not able to reimburse your expenses. Bills received towards the end of the year (in November and December) should be presented until the end of the current calendar year.
All the bills and tickets that you wish to be paid back have to be sent either to your chapter president or to the office manager at the AFS National Office within 4 weeks from issue, otherwise AFS Hungary will not be able to consider your request.
ONLINE HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE COURSE
AFS Hungary is providing a Hungarian online course through Mángo Languages.
Mángo offers free mobile apps for iOS, Android, Kindle, and Nook devices for language learning anywhere, anytime. You can download them for free to your own device. So there will be no more boring bus rides…
Every student will be offered this tool to enhance their language learning before the program and during their entire stay in Hungary. Every week you will have Hungarian class. (40 hours altogether) As you can see we want to give you the best language support possible (online and in-person). During the first lesson we will do a little test to check where you at. Do not worry we will not ask any money back if you fail but it would show lack of your motivation.
