Nine years ago, Rashmi Charry read a notice from a Happy Hollow School newsletter and shared it with her husband Ashok that outlined a high school student exchange program. The idea intrigued the Charrys, and hosting would also give their only child, Aadith, who was eight years old at the time, the opportunity to experience what it would be like to have a sibling.
Initially, they were more curious than committed. Finally, after learning more, they said yes.
“We’re still saying yes,” Rashmi Charry said. “Between 2017 and 2026, we’ve hosted four year-long exchange students, including students from India and Germany. What began as one experiment became part of who our family is today.”
And the Charrys are not alone. Multiple Wayland families have participated in the AFS Exchange Program, which also offers Wayland High School students the opportunity to study abroad for a year. The AFS Intercultural Program (once an acronym for American Field Service) is a nonprofit organization exchange program that provides families the opportunity to literally open their doors to international students — and in doing so, open their minds and hearts to learning more about different people and cultures.
Madita Hofmann from Germany was the Charry family’s exchange student this year. When Hofmann learned about the program from her mother, she knew she wanted to apply. Since AFS exchange students do not get to choose their destinations, she discovered that she was heading to Wayland a mere two weeks before her flight. While she was the only AFS exchange student in Wayland this year, she did get to meet another student through the scholarship program who was placed an hour away from Wayland.
Hofmann arrived in early August 2025 and departed at the end of June. She says she learned a lot throughout the program and is extremely grateful for the experience.
“I think my favorite thing about the program was that it gave me so many opportunities to get to know new people,” she said. “I think one thing that surprised me was that the WHS has such a big parking lot and it is always packed! In Germany people mostly come to school by bus or bike and we do not have a parking lot.”
Hofmann said her favorite subject to study this year at WHS was anatomy, even though some of the words were new to her. Also, she credits her host brother, Aadith, for introducing her to a few people when she arrived. These introductions led to meeting others and her new friend group quickly expanded.
This year, Jody Pongratz was the liason for the Charrys and Madita at WHS, where she served as a bridge to connect them and school personnel. Responsibilities in her volunteer role included monitoring cultural adjustment, facilitating communication, and helping resolve minor conflicts before they escalated.
Pongratz has a long and deep connection to the AFS program. As a child, her own family hosted students. Then, in 1978, she was an exchange student herself and traveled to Malaysia. Years later, she honeymooned in Singapore and Malaysia so her new husband could meet her host family and in 2008 she returned to celebrate her host family’s 50th wedding anniversary.
Last summer the experience came full circle when Pongratz’s own son was able to spend time with her host brother during his business trip to Malaysia. She credits AFS for “making the world a smaller place and creating bonds that last a lifetime.”
“We have had AFS students at WHS for the past 20 years,” she said. “The first year that a WHS student studied abroad with AFS was 1999 and only a handful of students have gone abroad with AFS since. But consistently WHS has accepted students from countries such as Germany, Japan, India, Italy, France, Thailand, among others.”
The 11-month experience for the Charry family and Madita this year was equally rewarding and enriching. While Hofmann admitted there were a few times that she was homesick — like two weeks after she arrived and the adrenaline wore off or at Christmas time — she feels grateful to her host, the volunteers at AFS, and the Wayland High School community for helping her make connections and to learn a new culture.
“Home for me is a place where I can calm down and where I can be myself without worrying about any conflicts. I definitely found a second home here in Wayland,” said Hofmann.
Pongratz, who will continue to volunteer next year, says AFS is always looking for hosts and that there are often shortages of host families. She says that the experience is very rewarding. Families can also tailor their requests around dietary preferences that will match with those of their families.
“There is no cost associated with the school or the family except for basic necessities,” Pongratz added. “The family provides daily meals. It’s up to the host family how much they want to spend on the student, but many students come prepared to spend money. “
Families interested in hosting can reach out to Jodi Pomeranz at japongratz@gmail.com or visit afsusa.org.
