InterExchange Awards Winners of Winter 2014-15 InterExplorer Contest

InterExchange is pleased to announce the grand prize winner of our winter 2014-15 InterExplorer cultural activities contest: Britta A., an InterExchange Au Pair USA participant from Germany! For posting her many culturally diverse activities and photos, Britta has won our grand prize, a GoPro video camera!

Photos by InterExplorers who earned the most points this season: Britta A. (grand prize winner), Melissa P., Jan S. and Janita T.

The inaugural InterExchange InterExplorer contest launched in summer 2014, with hundreds of contestants and the acclaim and congratulations of Robin Lerner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Private Sector Exchange. InterExplorer encourages our J-1 cultural exchange participants to share photos and videos of all the things they do to experience American culture throughout their time on a cultural exchange program. InterExplorer is an interactive competition that inspires participants to showcase the activities they do to learn about the U.S. Using social media, it's also an opportunity for them to inspire each other to engage in unique American experiences during their time on the program.

Our winter season contest ran from December 15, 2014 – March 15, 2015, during which InterExplorers shared photos, videos and stories which included seeing historical sites, sharing foods from their home countries and eating American food, attending sports events, visiting museums, making new friends and generally getting to know all they could about the United States.

The most active InterExplorers posted new photos and stories every day and earned points toward prizes like Starbucks and Amazon gift cards, with the top InterExplorer winning our grand prize, a GoPro camera! We congratulate our other top point competitors, who earned enough points for a $100 Amazon gift card: Melissa P., Au Pair USA participant from Mexico, Janita T., Au Pair USA participant from Germany, Jan S., Career Training USA participant from Germany, and Marine V., Au Pair USA participant from France.

The InterExchange InterExplorer cultural activities contest will continue to expand as more participants get involved and see the value of sharing their cultural exchange experiences. The next InterExplorer contest will take place in summer 2015. Updates about the next InterExplorer contest will be published on www.InterExchange.org/american-culture/interexplorer in the coming months.

InterExchange is a nonprofit organization committed to improving international understanding by facilitating life-changing, exceptional cultural-exchange experiences for young people, businesses and families around the world. As both a J-1 Visa sponsor designated by the U.S. Department of State and a cross‐cultural ambassador, we develop meaningful relationships with participants from more than 60 countries, as well as with international cooperating agencies, host employers and families. We ensure that all in our community are treated with respect and consideration and are supported by staff with firsthand experience living and working abroad.