By Xiaowen Niu, J-1 Summer Work Travel participant from China The J-1 Summer Work and Travel Program has been the best life experience I‘ve ever had. During the summer of 2014, I worked at an ice cream and candy store in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin in scenic Door County. It was the first job that I had ever held in my life. Everything seemed so challenging, especially communicating with customers in English. At the beginning, I had trouble understanding my supervisor’s instructions and customer orders. My boss noticed that I was struggling and gave me a lot of training to help.…
Discount ticket price: $20 (includes a free $10 food/ drink voucher to use at the game) Hosted by InterExchange, Inc. Open to all J-1 Sponsors and participants from all J-1 Visa program categories. Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-york-ny-baseball-staten-island-yankees-tickets-21124455816
By Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Communications Manager for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program We’ve officially started the countdown to the New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 6. Why are we at the State Department so excited about this event? Well, more than 1,000 J-1 exchange visitors – students, interns, au pairs, and research scholars – will be volunteering at rest and water stops along the race course to support the 50,000 runners from over 135 countries who will run the race. These J-1 students will be the largest single group of volunteers at the race, onsite to ensure the marathon runs smoothly.…
We want you to stay safe on your J-1 Exchange program, and we are here to help if an incident were to arise. Welcome to the Exchange Visitor program for visitors on a J-1 Visa. Know that your safety is our first priority. Should you have a concern or complaint related to your program start by working directly with your local supervisor and your sponsor. Examples of concerns and complains include placement and employment issues, safety concerns, harassament or abuse, or if you or another student is the victim of a serious crime. When we receive a concern or complaint…
Video Transcript Today we are going to you watch a big safety demonstration on the beach in Ocean City. And the reason this is exciting for me is because this is a time when all communities coming together to make sure the students know how to be safe. They're gonna talk about bike safety about beach safety about vacuation in a case that hurricane or a major storm. This is something Ocean City takes very seriously and I really wanted to see it first hand. Through my visits I'm seeing that this the true cultural experience, not just for our…
By Tebogo Serepong, Trainee from South Africa When I left South Africa to begin my cultural exchange program in the United States, not only did I get a new physical address, I figuratively also acquired an address which has endearingly placed me outside of my comfort zone. I have made new friends and colleagues and linked up with some old ones, all while discovering and becoming a distinct version of myself. Personal growth has been coupled with tremendous professional development as my career as a Chartered Accountant keeps evolving and being constructively challenged through experience first obtained in California and…
While everyone in New York at this time of year shares the sweet anticipation of the upcoming Halloween festivities, for more than 50,000 runners from 135 countries it also means gearing up for a different kind of sweet treat: the proud accomplishment of completing the NYC Marathon. Among the 10,000 volunteers helping out at the world’s largest marathon on Sunday, you will find more than 850 of our J-1 participants. Experiencing the American tradition of volunteerism first hand, they will distribute water, cheer on athletes from their home countries, and share their cultures with their fellow volunteers and the runners.…
Office of Designation The Office of Designation deals specifically with the following: Reviewing designation and re-designation applications Reviewing annual reports to acknowledge, assist, and to resolve sponsor’s issues or concerns to administer a successful program Assisting sponsors with J-visa related inquiries and requests for change of category, extension, reinstatements, or permission to issue Providing daily outreach to assist sponsors and to evaluate the effectiveness of program categories Reviewing program requests: * Adding officials * Amendments * DS-2019 allotments * Other matters regarding program administration Pay.gov Office of Private Sector Exchange Administration The Office of Private…
By Carlos Rodriguez-Cruz y Celis, Intern and Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Communications Manager for the J-Visa Exchange Visitor Program More than 1,400 participants who are in the United States on the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program– including students, interns, au pairs, and research scholars – are volunteering at the TCS New York City Marathon on November 5, 2017, the world’s largest marathon. The exchange visitors will comprise more than 14 percent of the total volunteers at the marathon. They will stand alongside U.S. volunteers at miles 5 and 6 in Brooklyn and mile 18 in Harlem. As they provide water and moral support…
Are you a current or hopeful J-1 exchange visitor interested in attending a university in the United States, or even just visiting a campus? Many J-1 designated sponsors arrange campus visits to U.S. universities for exchange visitors on their programs. Whether or not you dream of studying here, your proximity to an American university campus offers a really fun opportunity. My colleague, Deb Shetler, took a campus tour in Madison, Wisconsin with a group of Summer Work Travel (SWT) students this summer doing just that. Posting this story gives me the chance to highlight a wonderful State Department resource called…
