AFS Intercultural Programs- Panama Gap-Year and Beyond

  Panama

• Other Cities in Panama: 
Panama City

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Year and Semester University Study (Fall/Spring); Semester Community Service (Fall/Spring); Short Summer Programs. Inquire for dates

Description: The warm and hospitable people of Panama's will welcome you with open arms. The country's name comes from a Native American word meaning place of many fish, and here you'll find beaches of unparalleled beauty with coral gardens lining their shores and rainforests with exotic animals and rare birds everywhere. Mestizos, people of mixed Native American and European descent, make up 70 percent of the population, but the country is also home to seven different indigenous groups and boasts sizable West Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and American populations. From the cosmopolitan financial center of Panama City, to the Chiriqui Highlands cloud forest, to the isolated San Blas Islands in the Caribbean, there's much to experience and learn in Panama. AFS host family placements are located throughout Panama.

Highlights:
* Year and Semester University Programs:

Spend a year or semester in Panama, attend university, and live with a host family - what a great learning opportunity! The school year is divided into two semesters: March through July and August through December. Your classes will either be in the morning or afternoon, and before you arrive you'll choose from a list of subjects. High academic responsibility is required and is measured through homework and exams. At the programs close, you will be issued a certificate of attendance.

* Semester Community Service:

Volunteer in Panama and make a difference in a rural community! Past projects included working with children; assisting forest rangers of the National Environmental Authority; supporting health workers; or helping teachers in the classroom. AFS also organizes orientations, an optional trip to coastal islands, local activities in the community (trips to the beach and mountains), and educational trips to museums, factories, and craft centers. You may live with a host family or in housing through the community service organization, depending on the project. Take this opportunity to discover the beauty of Panama and help others as you do!

* Summer Community Service and Language Study:

This program will help you understand the social, family, and cultural life of a small community in Panama. You will volunteer in the community, learn Spanish, participate in recreational activities, and enjoy excursions to help you explore more of the country. After a two-day orientation in Panama City, participants are placed in host communities in groups of eight to ten. You'll stay individually with a host family, perform community service at local elementary schools in the morning, and attend Spanish class in the afternoon. Spanish classes are only for the first two weeks, then you'll get to use what you've learned. Service activities could include making physical improvements to classrooms and other facilities. There's also a one-day outing to an ecological site near Panama City.

AFS students are placed in volunteer host families located throughout Panama.

Cost in US$: Contact us for more information

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to American Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview Required
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

AFS Intercultural Programs/USA's Mission Statement: AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. AFS Intercultural Programs is a leader in intercultural learning and offers international exchange programs in over 50 countries around the world through independent, not-for-profit AFS organizations, each with a network of volunteers, a professionally staffed office, and headed up by a volunteer board.

Year Founded: 1947