Route J-1

By SunJeong Lee, Client Relations Officer, Cultural Vistas

A version of this blog post was originally published on the Cultural Vistas Blog

J-1 exchange visitors are taking some time to tell us how the Exchange Visitor Program changed their perspectives about America. This week we will discuss how exchange visitors are discovering strength in vulnerability.

J-1 alumna Alina Rafikova, who participated in the Fulbright and Muskie programs, shared this photo from her experience exploring America.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By SunJeong Lee, Client Relations Officer, Cultural Vistas

This story was originally published on the Cultural Vistas Blog

Salima Ismaylova, a J-1 trainee from Azerbaijan, poses here with her extended American family: “This is a picture of all the amazing people I spend my life here with. This is a huge family who embraced me the way I am, full and complete.”

Recently, exchange visitors were asked how their perceptions of America had changed after living, working, studying, and traveling in the United States for their J-1 exchange program.

While always a work in progress, many exchange visitors were amazed at how diverse cultures coexist in the United States.

“I was not aware of the incredible diversity in workplaces and in the community here. It has taught me a lot – and it’s a part of the reason that I’m so thankful for coming here,” said an intern from Örebro in Sweden.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Victor Da Costa, J-1 au pair from Spain

Victor Da Costa shows off his New York City Marathon medal.

The TCS New York City Marathon for me has been more than a race or just some other achievement. It was about coming back to New York, a city that was my home during my first year as an au pair. It is a city where I have some of the best of memories – my amazing host family, some great friends, and a lot of walks around the city. Read More ›

Categories: Program Spotlight

By SunJeong Lee, Client Relations Officer, Cultural Vistas

A version of this blog post was originally published on the Cultural Vistas Blog

Food brings everyone together. Afghani and Pakistani international visitors (pictured here) break bread with a Vermont family.

Interning and living in a new country will give you a new perspective. It’s a chance to explore and immerse yourself in a new culture. Many of our sponsors, including Cultural Vistas, love hearing how the Exchange Visitor Program changes perspectives and builds connections.

Recently, we asked our participants how their perceptions of America have changed after their U.S. exchange programs. Join us for the next five Tuesdays to explore the answers to this question. In light of recent global and domestic affairs, exchange visitors reflections will leave you inspired and hopeful for positive change.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Liam Godbert Brown, J-1 au pair from the United Kingdom

Liam Godbert Brown is a British university graduate who came to the United States as an au pair. He won the lottery to run in the New York City Marathon, which took place on Sunday, November 6. This is his second marathon. He ran the New Jersey Marathon this in May.

Liam Godbert Brown shows off his NYC Marathon Finisher Medal.

Why did you want to run the TCS New York City Marathon?

New York has been one of my favourite cities for a very long time and it’s been incredible to be living nearby for the last year.  As a long time runner, I’ve always wanted to participate in races held in my favorite cities. Now that I’ve done New York I’ll have to try to compete in London.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

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

Moira Cacia and Angela Mininni (J-1 au pairs from Italy) we‘re very excited to see so many Italians running the race and happy to cheer them on.

On Sunday, November 6, more than 1,000 J-1 international exchange visitors – students, interns, au pairs, and research scholars – volunteered at rest and water stops along the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon course, supporting the 50,000 runners from over 135 countries who ran the race. Meet some of the volunteers and read about their experiences:

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Garazi Alkorta, J-1-Au Pair from Spain
A version of this story was originally published on Expert Au Pair

Stunning views of the city from the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center)

When I decided to start this journey called the au-pair experience, being more than 5,000 miles away from home for a year, on my own, living and sharing experiences with strangers sounded like a scary idea. Let’s jump into the car and travel through this – not always so easy – road that turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Petar Dragnic, J-1 Summer Work Travel Alumni from Serbia

Petar and Andreaa monitoring players in “Escape Room”

I participated in the Summer Work and Travel program in 2013 and 2014, and I can say that participating on this program was the best decision I made in my life! I spent two summers working in the Asticou Inn, a fine-dining restaurant in Northeast Harbor, Maine. It is a small town on the beautiful Mount Desert Island, which is a home of Acadia National Park. I had a chance to meet a lot of great people from America – and also from other parts of the world. Besides having fun with my friends, I had the opportunity to learn a lot of new skills related to customer service and business management.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Lynette Evans-Tiernan, Communications Manager for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

J-1 Visa Exchange Visitors Volunteer at the 2015 TCS NYC Marathon

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. In additional, several J-1 exchange visitors will be running the marathon.

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Categories: Program Spotlight

By Samantha Chaitram, J-1 Doctorate Student from Trinidad and Tobago

Samantha and her grandfather Emamly.

When my dad passed away in 2001, my grandfather became the single most important person in my life. He became my father and my grandfather. When I was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2012, I asked my grandpa, what should I do? His response was, “Islam teaches that we must seek as much knowledge as we can find.”

My grandfather is the reason I am here today at the University of Miami pursuing doctoral studies. An Indian Muslim born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1931, my grandfather Emamly Hosein spoke English, Hindi, and Urdu – and read Arabic. He was one of the few of his generation who was literate, and while he never had the opportunity to attend high school, he read everything he got his hands on. While many Indian men of his era only educated their sons and married off their daughters, he broke that tradition. He educated as best as he could his sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters equally. His dream was to see me graduate from an American university with a PhD, write my first book, and see my picture on it.

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Categories: Program Spotlight