Providing this review in light of my experience applying to a Community Advisor position:
I was lead to believe I had done well on my first interview, only to be ghosted for about a week. I reached out in case it was an oversight and waited for 24 hours for a reply. When I didn't get one, I wrote a 1-star review based on my experience. Amber England reached out to criticize me as "impatient" but to offer me the opportunity to continue being considered for the position. I thought about it for a few days until I replied only to be told they had decided to go in a different direction. My FACTUAL review was described as "impatient" and lacking grace. Guess the truth hurts: After being essentially ghosted for a week, I reached out and got no answer. Amber would like to say that I was "impatient" for not waiting longer than 24 hours. Guess she either forgot or doesn't consider the 7 days I waited to hear back as significant. Well, I do.
I began working with BFF in January 2024. Having jumped in in the middle of the year I missed a lot of the training in what to expect and what I was required to do but my Regional Director was there every step of the way no matter how many times I texted, emailed, or called. If the student had a question or an issue that I did not know the answer to, I would immediately reach out to the Regional Director and I always received a very quick response. She was very hands-on with any issues that arose and made me very comfortable with any questions that I asked. She also had a general regard for the students and host families, ensuring that this exchange program was a positive experience for all.
Borderless Friends Forever is one of the best non-profit organizations I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They are always professional and available to assist with any questions or concerns.
I have hosted with Borderless Friends Forever (BFF) and have also supported students and host families as part of their support team. In both roles I have found the organization to be supportive, well managed, and passionate about the work they are doing. BFF goes above and beyond the required regulations when it comes to supporting the students on their program.
Borderless Friends Forever (BFF) is wonderful. From the first time I spoke with BFF, it was clear that they're dedicated to fostering global understanding, cultural exchange, and lifelong friendships.
BFF's mission to create global citizens is truly inspiring. Students and families learn about different cultures and traditions.
BFF has a wonderful team who are passionate about their work and committed to ensuring that every student and family has a positive experience.
I cannot say enough positive things about BFF. I would not host through any other company.
BFF is large enough to represent many countries and have support across the US but small enough to get to know their host families and provide lot's of care and attention to each student and their communities.
Telling you as an exchange student who has gone through this program myself:
I was in a FLEX scholarship program that was fully funded by the USDS.
Good things: being a small organization meant that on monthly meetings, BFF could make everyone feel at home because everyone knew each other and was placed nearby. The organization itself focused on making sure the students discovered every bit life of American life by organizing meetings for every holiday in a homely setting and inviting local leaders, and activists. The communication between me, the host family, and the supervisors was very quick because the supervisors lived relatively close(20 minutes drive), were ALWAYS available for a call, and always checked up on me. Even after my exchange year, I still talk to my supervisor.
Bad things: This organization is highly tight on finances: we had only one trip to a nearby coast city for two days, while other organization would send their students to NY, LA, etc; they required me to spend $25-35 a month on cellphone connection(augmented by always being able to call my supervisors), and $10 on our monthly meetings, which in sum would eat up 30% of my monthly stipend.
The conclusion from my experience with this organization: experience depends solely on the student and the hosting family: if you suit each other, the American dream comes true(that's why it's important to tell your interests very clearly on the application). There were no students in BFF who got sent back home or voluntarily left because everyone was welcomed as a family member, but bigger organizations had those cases with terrible experiences with people being sent home because there were too many students to handle. If you want a homey setting with placement organizations and other exchange students throughout the year, it is for you. If you want something more challenging or simply bigger, then go for other bigger POs.
Hosting advice: better pick students on scholarships - they are generally more genuine, knowledgable, and know how to say thank you.
BFF makes it their sole priority to provide students with great opportunities. Hosting an exchange student is life changing and you couldn't choose a better organization.
I never write reviews but feel compelled to having seen how skewed the rest of the reviews are. It reads to me like it is disgruntled past employees and host families that aren't a good fit. Which happens with any exchange program - bringing someone into your home from another culture is not for the faint of heart, and there are inevitably poor fits that are not apparent for some time.
I have volunteered with BFF since 2020. I work in an adjacent field (at a member association for international educators) and volunteer because I believe in the mission and the work that BFF does. Their quality is demonstrated by the fact that they are selected to participate in State Department programs and go through rigorous certification processes with them (I believe annually).
Don't believe the few angry voices here - BFF does fantastic work and fosters transformative experiences. Highly recommend.
As a host family Borderless Friends Forever was a very unprofessional, strange organization. We had a wonderful experience with our exchange student so much so that he is coming back to live with us next year. Just not through the BFF program. The BFF coordinator in our area was defiantly doing this for extra Money but could care less about the families and student. So many stories of her rudeness and laziness but she wasn’t up for the job. Upper management was just as bad and even started yelling at me about politics in Florida. Very strange and unprofessional. I would never put my child in the hands of these people. I wouldn’t feel like they would be safe. We have had exchange students in the past and always had a great experience. Stay away from Borderless Friends Forever.
Nepotism at its absolute worst! This family-run non-profit only has three people in charge and no oversight! BFF does not care about their students, and even less about their host families. I don't know of a single person that has had a positive experience with this company. They will lie and manipulate to get students placed - and when they tell you it is only for a few weeks, don't believe it! The students are fantastic, but BFF is a nightmare to work with! Hosting is an amazing experience, but don't do it with BFF!
The owner and community advisors are inaccessible. They never answer the emergency number. They make false accusations and put really little thought into the pairing of students and host families. The organization is disorganized from start to finish. Thing long and hard before using this company. I’m sure there are plenty of others that truly have their act together and want to make this a successful, long-lasting experience.
As a host family, we had a terrible experience with BFF, hosting two students. The first was moody, ungrateful, entitled, contemptuous of Americans (we wondered why she was here), and never complied with the house rules, such as don't eat in your room, clean up after yourself and don't leave wet bath towels laying in the floor. We shared these problems with the coordinator, but they were NEVER addressed -- she blew them off each and every time. My wife has a part-time job, and her boss got COVID and was hospitalized. She went to SC for 5 days to run his store and then was exposed herself (by her mother), which added another 3 days due to her isolating. Apparently, the girls complained to the coordinator, and the malcontent one exaggerated, saying that we never included them in anything -- even going out to dinner twice a week without them. They felt like guests, not like family. (Nevermind that every moment we had was devoted to them -- taking them to Washington, DC, Williamsburg, VA, South Carolina, and they never asked to do something that we declined).
The coordinator visited for what we thought was a routine home visit. Instead, she blindsided us, saying that we were not including the girls in our lives and we had to fix it -- suggesting that my wife quit her job because it was taking too much time and when she was a host mom she had quit one of her jobs. We objected, saying that her information was outdated, inaccurate and exaggerated. It didn't matter. We were humiliated and felt completely unappreciated by the coordinator and the girls (although one later said that the coordinator did blow things totally out of proportion). Later that evening, things blew up. When we asked if the girls wanted to leave, Miss Trouble smiled, turned on her heels and skipped down the hall to pack. We called the coordinator who balked at picking them up, even had her supervisor call us and ask to wait until morning. But it was too late. She made that mess, and she had to take care of it.
It continues... a week later, the girls still have house keys, the coordinator ignores requests to get those, a request for an exit interview has gone ignored, and no one -- not one single person -- has thanked us for the sacrifice of time and expense to host these girls.
SO... if you are considering hosting a student through BFF, DO NOT do it if you live in NE Tennessee. Host ONLY a student that is on a scholarship (they might actually be grateful for the opportunity), and know this: the students are the assets -- they are the paying customer that must be made happy at all times and at all costs. If a host family interferes with their happiness, they become a liability and will be summarily dumped without so much as a "thank you."