This winter, Spirit Cultural Exchange staff member Katherine traveled to meet with Spirit participants and Hosts to learn more about the BridgeUSA J-1 cultural exchange experience in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. At her first stop, she met with a Spirit Cultural Exchange Intern who had just started his program in the United States the week before. His flight to the US was his first time on a plane, and he was excited to start his training experience! He was surprised by how spread out everything was in the United States compared to his home country of Jamaica, and he mentioned that his Host Company had helped him get settled in and feeling comfortable. His roommate, who is from India, also gave him tips on adjusting to life in the United States. He is looking forward to new experiences he will have while he is in the United States!
The next day, Katherine visited many Spirit Interns and Work and Travel participants placed at a resort and ski hill in the area. The Work and Travel participants, who are from South American countries, were adjusting to the chilly Wisconsin winter! They were surprised at how quickly temperatures could drop, but many of them had taken advantage of the snow to try skiing for the first time! Though it was challenging at first, they enjoyed taking on a new experience. Some participants opted for a warmer adventure and visited an indoor waterpark on site. They enjoyed spending time with their friends and had plans to return again before their program ended. Katherine had a wonderful time talking to all of the participants she met about their experiences. Many of the participants had not lived away from their families before, so it was a big adjustment to live independently with people from different cultures. In addition to enjoying the J-1 cultural exchange experience in Lake Geneva, many had also traveled to Milwaukee and Chicago for more sightseeing.
Katherine was also able to meet many of the American managers who work with Spirit Cultural Exchange’s participants. They expressed how appreciative they were of the J-1 cultural exchange experience in Lake Geneva. Both the Intern and the Work and Travel programs are a key part of the resort’s operations, and they look forward to hosting more participants in the future!