- PRISTINA, Kosovo—More than 150 guests celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF) last week at the Night of the Rising Stars. The annual fundraising event supports the next generation of KAEF fellows, rising stars with ambitions to use their education to help their country. Keynote speaker and member of the Parliament of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, noted the impact alumni have had in the young country. {"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/… Read More
- American Councils welcomed a crowd to its DC headquarters last week for the 9th annual silent auction, which garnered support for scholarships for bright, international scholars. The annual fundraiser focuses on a region of the world where American Councils operates and, this year, programs in Albania and Kosovo took center stage. Dignitaries from both countries addressed the VIP reception, which was officiated by AC board of trustees’ member, Gazmend Gjonbalaj. In his opening address, Mr… Read More
- Editor's note: Hannah Combe is not a dancer by trade, but her enthusiasm for dance helped her find community while living overseas. Ms. Combe has lived in Georgia, where she taught English as a Peace Corps volunteer. She has also taught English in Bulgaria as a Fulbright scholar. She is currently a program assistant on the AC Study and Research abroad team. When I was four years old I refused to wear anything but my pink tutu. At the peak of my illustrious dance career, I ran around a… Read More
- When Kyle Spawn decided to study abroad in Moscow in 2018, he already knew a thing or two about living in Russia. He played with Russian alphabet blocks as a child. The family dog could sit and stay if asked in English or Russian. His mom even made a few Russian meals for him and his brother. Her family is Dutch, but Carla Spawn made an effort to share Russia with her children as well. Nearly 40 years before her son studied in Russia, she had studied abroad there too -- and on the same… Read More
- Editor’s note: When Aurelian Dragoș Mohan isn’t representing Romania as a United Nations Youth Delegate, he is a masters student, studying comparative politics at the University of Bucharest. He is an alumnus of the Elie Wiesel Study Tour, a program sponsored by the US Embassy in Romania and implemented by American Councils, with the support of the Embassy of Israel in Romania and Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of Holocaust in Romania. Mr. Mohan was selected as one of two UN youth… Read More
- Editor's note: Yulia Bychkovska spent the 2015-16 school year attending high school in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, as part of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program. She is currently studying international business and business administration at Columbia College in Missouri. She's not sure yet what she'll do after graduation, but she knows she'll have her mom's support. When my mom met me at the airport after my exchange year in Ohio, instead of balloons or a cheesy poster, she met me… Read More
- Editor’s note: American high school student Aya Obeid is spending her 2018-19 academic year in Lithuania participating in the Exchanges for Culture, Education, and Leadership (ExCEL) Abroad program, which is administered by American Councils Lithuania and supported by the Kazickas Family Foundation. She travelled to Yerevan, Armenia this month to participate in an international European Youth Parliament session, as a delegate of Lithuania. The week that I spent in Armenia was one of the… Read More
- Editor's note: We polled our staff all over the world about what to bring on exchange. The submissions ranged from snacks to mindsets. (Almost everyone mentioned having an open mind, an absolute exchange essential!) Here is our top ten list: 1. A good pair of shoes for exploring. 2. Small doses of familiar flavors (spices, food mixes, etc.) to share with your host community--or to help combat homesickness. 3. Measuring cups! It makes baking for your host family and friends so much… Read More
- Editor's note: From our most junior level staffers to our president, our global staff has a lot of knowledge about exchange to share. This month, we asked them to share some of their best advice, based on their studies, work experience, and their time working at American Councils. For this piece, we asked: What is your best advice for someone going on an exchange program? 1. Be prepared to present [your] country's culture, do not hesitate to make new friends, have a good… Read More
- PRISTINA, Kosovo – Alumni and supporters of the Kosovo American Education Fund (KAEF) celebrated the program’s 100th scholarship earlier this month, at a gala in Kosovo’s capital city. The Night of the Rising Stars, organized by American Councils’ staff in Kosovo, welcomed more than 250 guests, including former President Atifete Jahjaga, a KAEF honorary committee member, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, Minister of Education Shyqiri Bytyqi, USAID Kosovo Director Lisa Magno, and many… Read More
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