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Access your application, documents, placement, travel info, and more. For Camp USA, Career Training USA, Work & Travel USA, and U.S. Citizens Abroad.

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Manage your au pair or host family profile, matches, and more. For Au Pair USA participants & hosts.

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Check in to SEVIS when you arrive in the U.S. and every 30 days thereafter. For Work & Travel USA participants.

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How To Plug Your Participants Into The Local Culture
How To Plug Your Participants Into The Local Culture

How To Plug Your Participants Into The Local Culture

June 20, 2019

2 -min read

As our exchange participants from across the world arrive in the U.S., they are eager to see what the country has to offer. Hosts of these young people — whether host employers, camps, or families — play an essential role in helping them learn about American culture.

Showcasing U.S. culture doesn’t need to be complicated. There are two main ways you can do so: hosting cultural events and promoting events in the community.

2018 Work & Travel USA Program participant
Image courtesy of Sutida W., 2018 Work & Travel USA Program participant

Hosting Cultural Events

Take the time at least once per month to throw an event for your participants that is specifically focused on cultural exchange.
  • Karaoke: Encourage participants to sing their favorite American songs.
  • Explore nature: Go hiking, kayaking, or take a nature walk.
  • Food events: Host an American-style barbecue or picnic.
  • Employee birthday: For many participants, this may be their first birthday away from home. Help make it unique by organizing a party and singing different versions of “Happy Birthday” from all over the world.
  • Trivia night: Host a trivia night! See how much participants have learned about American culture by using these questions.
  • American holidays: One of the strongest insights into a culture is its holidays, like the 4th of July in the U.S. Picnics and potlucks work well for these celebrations.
  • Volunteer event: Get students together for a day or an hour of volunteering! Partner with a local organization for more interaction with Americans.
  • Movie night: Organizing a movie night showing a classic American film is a simple way to enjoy U.S. culture.
  • Cultural scavenger hunt: Organize this fun game to help students learn about one another.
  • Game night: Bring classic board games like Monopoly, Pictionary, or Scrabble.

Promoting Events in the Community

Community events are the perfect way to showcase U.S. culture and interact with Americans. Make a calendar of the below happenings in your area and encourage participants to attend as many as possible. Remind them that as students, they’ll often get a discount!
  • Visit a museum, theatre, or concert hall.
  • Cheer on the home team at a sporting event.
  • Attend a festival or holiday parade.
  • Hit up the farmer’s market.
  • Join a local sports team.
  • Try a meetup group.
  • Explore the local library.

Want more resources? Check out this guide on Cultural Exchange and the Cultural Compass, a state-by-state guide to activities, culture, and sites in the U.S., which you can share with your participants.

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Joy is a huge advocate for cultural exchange. She’s lived across the U.S. and various countries around the world including the UK, Australia and Indonesia. She has a unique perspective on working and thriving in other cultures. She’s been a contributing author on Au Pair USA program.

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