When many businesses first explore the BridgeUSA J-1 Work and Travel Program, they are looking for reliable seasonal staffing. While the program certainly helps employers meet their workforce needs during busy seasons, the benefits of hosting J-1 participants extend far beyond filling open positions.
For one of our Host Employers in Iowa, those connections have become one of the most rewarding parts of hosting international participants through Spirit Cultural Exchange. Their experience perfectly illustrates why so many businesses continue participating in the BridgeUSA program year after year.
Host Employer Spotlight:
I wanted to take a moment to share one of the many reasons why we truly enjoy participating in the International Work Travel Program.
This is our second-year welcoming international students, and one of the most rewarding aspects of the program has been the opportunity to learn from one another by sharing our cultures, traditions, and experiences.
Yesterday, our team gathered in Okoboji to celebrate an early Fourth of July picnic. Since our restaurants will be busy serving our communities throughout the holiday weekend, we wanted to spend some time together before the festivities began.
We introduced our students from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, and Colombia to a traditional American summer picnic. Everyone enjoyed swimming, football, Connect Four, checkers, Left-Right-Center, and other games while sharing plenty of laughs. We served classic American picnic favorites, including brats, pasta salad, chips, and cupcakes.
One of the highlights of the day came when several of the students went fishing and caught a few fish. They graciously shared a part of their own cultures by showing us how they clean, prepare, season, and cook fresh fish. It was an incredible experience, and I can honestly say the fish was some of the best I’ve ever had.
Moments like these remind us that this program is about so much more than employment. It is about building friendships, learning from one another, appreciating different cultures, and creating experiences that will stay with all of us long after the summer has ended.
We are incredibly grateful to your organization for helping make these opportunities possible. Thank you for partnering with us and for trusting us to provide a welcoming environment where students can grow professionally while experiencing American culture—and where our team can learn just as much from them.
Our students have quickly become part of our family, and we are already looking forward to our next adventure together—bowling! Thank you again for your partnership and for everything you do to support these outstanding young adults.
Partner with Spirit Cultural Exchange
Spirit Cultural Exchange is proud to partner with Host Employers that create welcoming environments where international participants can succeed both professionally and personally. Their story serves as a wonderful reminder that the J-1 visa program is about more than work. It’s about building friendships, celebrating different cultures, and creating experiences that leave a lasting impact on everyone involved.