AFS began as the American Ambulance Field Service, a volunteer ambulance corps created in April 1915. It evolves into an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help young people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Students are exposed to different cultures by  integrating with students from all over the world to study at a local school and live in a friendly home-stay.

Guangzhou Huamei International School (HMIS) has been joining the AFS program which links with Guangdong Education Association for International Exchange under the supervision of the Ministry of Education since 2004 as the only private boarding school in Guangdong province. We have been sending one or two select students per year to join the program to different countries when they are in Grade 7 or 10, and meanwhile receiving the similar age group international students to study and live on campus, integrated them with Chinese students so that they can be adequately exposed to Chinese culture and education.