Route J-1

By Soroth San, J-1 Intern from Cambodia
A version of this story was published on CIEE blog

Finally, my chance to see the Atlantic Ocean in person (not just in a book or on a map!)

I was born and grew up in a poor village in Cambodia. I moved to the capital city, Phnom Penh, and became a student at the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL), majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I was working as Head of School in Cambodia at an elementary school, encountering a ton of challenges including discipline issues, quality of education, interactions with students’ parents. I was eager for an opportunity to look at other parts of the developed world which have gone through and  successfully implemented education philosophies.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Eli Rolli, Camp Director, YMCA Camp Benson

Read testimonials from international students who served as camp counselors at YMCA Camp Benson during the summer of 2017.

Amy Carolan inside Fort Benson

“While at camp we often heard the phrase ‘child X needs camp’, I never really understood this phrase but I went with it anyway. It was only at the end of the summer after 10 weeks of camp in the USA that I fully understood the phrase. At 21 years old, I realized that I needed camp. My J-1 experience not only allowed me to make a positive impact on the lives of thousands of young Americans, but it also made the most positive impact on my life. It helped me in ways I could never have imagined. It bettered me physically, mentally and spiritually. It is an experience that is so unique to America and something without the J-1 visa I would never have had the chance to experience. I made friends for life during my summer camp experience from all over the world and I got the chance to immerse myself in American culture. International students need summer camp and summer camps need international students. Without my J-1 experience I would be a completely different person. Camp changed me as a person and my outlook on life. It made me a more positive person. It changed me for the better. Camp has the power to change so many lives.” – Amy “Sunshine” Carolan (Ireland)

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Categories: Program Spotlight

Katarína Bacigálová – Poláková, J-1 Camp Counselor Alumna from Slovakia

Camp Counselors at YMCA Camp Wood

Participating in the J-1 program was an amazing experience full of adventure, meaningful work, cultural enrichment and friendships that last a lifetime.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Aleksandra Węgrzyn and Mateusz Stankiewicz, J-1 Interns from Poland

Display Garden, Pleasant View Gardens, Loudon, NH

My name is Aleksandra and together with my fiancé Mateusz we are students from Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland.

We came to the United States for an internship. We worked in Pleasant View Gardens, which is a greenhouse located in beautiful New Hampshire. We loved the state for its lakes and mountains. The views were gorgeous! The company we worked in is one of the leaders in liner (small plants) production in the whole country. It is famous for the diversity of plants it offers – from annuals and perennials to herbs and vegetables. We spent some time working in different departments that allowed us to see and understand how the whole company works. The internship itself was really interesting. We learned more than we could have ever expected and made many friends we’ll try to stay in touch with. Read More ›

Categories: Program Spotlight

By Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Communications Manager for the J-Visa Exchange Visitor Program

Let’s take a look back at some of the stories that shaped an extraordinary year of the Exchange Visitor Program.

2,300 mile bicycle adventure on Route 66
Au pair Tamires took a solo cycling trip through Historic Route 66! “I met a lot of nice people while I was cycling. Real people with real stories.”

Welcomed the First Outbound Rotary Exchange Student from Nepal
Seema Tamang traveled to the United States as the first outbound Rotary Exchange student from Nepal. “Being blind, I have to admit I was a bit scared at first, but it did not take long to adapt, and enjoy an amazing experience.”

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Anna Boisseau, Communications Officer, Cultural Vistas
A version of this story was published on Cultural Vistas Blog

Pierre Pouplard mans the Saucier station at Per Se. He’s using cherry tomatoes that he picked out himself at a local farmer’s market. Photo by: Peter Plotica

You’ll see a different menu every time you walk through the blue doors of Per Se, the Michelin three-starred New York restaurant located across from Central Park. This creativity is in part due to the diverse staff that collaborates in the Per Se Kitchen, including international trainees.

With Chef de Cuisine Eli Kaimeh at its helm, the restaurant invents new concepts for their nine-course tasting menu daily. While the overall vision of the restaurant is Thomas Keller’s, the whole kitchen staff of 40 is involved in planning the next day’s dishes. “[It’s] usually a discussion by everybody sitting around a table. And that [really] includes everybody,” said Kaimeh. Read More ›

Categories: Program Spotlight

By Seema Tamang, Secondary School Student, Kathmandu, Nepal
A version of this story was published on Rotary Voices

Seema Tamang, third from left, with other Rotary Youth exchange students

Seema Tamang, the first rotary youth exchange student from Kathmandu Nepal talks to us about her high school exchange in the United States.

Describe your home life in the United States.

During the 2016-17 school year, I was thrilled to be the first outbound exchange student from Nepal. Being blind, I have to admit I was a bit scared at first, as home life in the United States was much different than in Nepal. In my host-family’s home I had my own room, which was a new experience for me. I was used to sleeping in the same room with my sisters and with other girls in the dormitory at school. Being in a large home was very different and exciting as I got to explore every room and orient myself so that I could move about safely and quickly. It didn’t take me too long to be able to find everything by myself. It seems funny now that when I first arrived I asked my host-mom where the water bucket and pitcher was for flushing the toilet, like we do in Nepal.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Communications Manager for the J-Visa Exchange Visitor Program

Loyola Marymount University students indicate where they are from and where they have studied around the world

November 13-17 was International Education week. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences. Read More ›

Categories: Program Spotlight

By Jody Mayo, Company Storyteller and Writer for Alliance Abroad Group
A version of this story was originally published on Alliance Abroad

Kush preparing a United Aerial Drone for flight testing.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Kush Sutaria, a J-1 intern, was on a sales call in San Antonio, fortunately out of the fury of the storm’s eye. As it turns out, being in San Antonio proved fortuitous in other ways. Kush was exactly in the right place to be able to assist Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. military with hurricane disaster relief efforts.

Kush spent the summer interning at United Aerial, a drone data collection and management company based in Houston, Texas. Kush attributes his academic background and the fact that he has a private pilot’s license as being important reasons he was asked to join the company. The boutique company offers highly-specialized technology and has a very unique culture. Kush’s enthusiasm and education made him a great addition to the team. Kush’s background also made it easy for him to obtain a remote pilot’s certificate for drones. It was a skill that proved invaluable in the very real disaster scenario he encountered. Read More ›

Categories: Program Spotlight