Transportation
The majority of participants hosted in the U.S. are placed in small communities where public transportation is limited or nonexistent. Many U.S. students get to school by school bus or by driving themselves. Since AFS Participants are NOT permitted to drive a car or motorbike while on the program, discuss transportation with your host parents. Because you will often be dependent on others for a ride, it is important to plan ahead. Tell your host parents several days before a school or social event if you need transportation to it. Find out if any of your friends will be going to the same event and if they or their parent could give you a ride. If so, ask your host parents if they are comfortable with the plan. Most U.S. parents will want to know where you are going, with whom, when you will return, well before you leave the house.
Public Holidays
Federal buildings (i.e., post offices, government offices etc.), banks, schools and some businesses are closed on Federal holidays.
- Labor Day: 1st Monday, September
- Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day: 2nd Monday, October
- Veteran’s Day: November 11
- Thanksgiving: 4th Thursday, November
- Christmas Day: December 25
- New Year’s Day: January 1
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: 3rd Monday, January
- Presidents’ Day: 3rd Monday, February
- Memorial Day: Last Monday, May
- Juneteenth: June 19
- Independence Day: July 4
The United States Postal Service is generally reliable. Letters can take from one to several days for delivery within the U.S. depending on the distance the letter or parcel needs to travel. Talk to your host parents about the reliability of package and letter delivery locally as it may vary based on where you live. You can visit the United States Postal Service website to calculate how much it will cost to send a letter or package to somewhere else in the U.S. or to another country.
U.S. Postal Service: http://www.usps.com
There are several other delivery systems in the U.S. for packages or documents besides the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), such as Federal Express (FedEx), United Parcel Service (UPS), and DHL. Your host family should be able to help you select an appropriate delivery service.
Electricity
The voltage in the U.S. is 110 V. The cost of electrical appliances like hairdryers and shavers in the U.S. is cheaper than purchasing an electrical converter, so you may want to leave your appliances at home and either borrow from your host family or buy new ones when you arrive.