Reminder: J-1 Guidelines!

The Department of State has issued a reminder for the J-1 guidelines, with additional guidelines to follow later this year.  The Department’s December 13, 2011 news release reminds the sponsors and host companies of the need for a serious focus on cultural exchange, which is the core of the Summer Work Travel Program. The guidelines are intended to make the Summer Work Travel a safe, enjoyable international exchange for all parties involved.

At the heart of this program is the opportunity for young men and women from all over the world to gain knowledge and cultural understanding of the United States. Although the work experience is a facet of the program, the Department of State emphasizes the need for balance between work and cultural enrichment activities. These activities include interactions with Americans both in the workplace and on a social level, meaningful cultural exchange, and community engagement.

AAG provides ideas for cultural exchange on our website and opportunities for the participants to meet locals to expand their personal and professional networks in the United States. (http://employers.allianceabroad.com/cultural-activities.html)AAG will continue to fulfill the required monthly check-ins with the participants as well as follow-ups. When your participants arrive, please remind them that AAG will be reaching out, and encourage them to respond to us in a timely manner.

As a U.S. Department of State authorized J-1 visa sponsor and an industry leader, AAG will continue to share information with our host companies and partners to ensure they are aware of issues related to Summer Work Travel. To read the news release in its entirety, please visit http://bit.ly/aag-news-jan-2012

If you have examples of cultural exchange at your company, please be sure to share them at: http://employers.allianceabroad.com/cultural-activities.html

If you have additional questions regarding this Guidance Directive please contact your account manager.

Recruitment Trip Update from Taiwan!

This week Allie & Mike are in Taiwan recruiting for the J-1 Summer Work & Travel Program. Here's a quick update from Allie about their experience thus far:

Yesterday we had our cultural day here in Taipei and we ventured to a small hilltop village close to Taipei - Jiufen Area, which when translated to English means 9 items - symbolic of the nine families that were indigenous to the area for centuries.  The hill tops were so steep that when you went gathering or into neighboring hillside towns it was thought of that you bring back 9 items for the families to share.  It was absolutely gorgeous! 



The narrow streets (sidewalks really) that had these amazing shops of all type and varieties - the area permeated with the cold rain and sweet smells of Taiwan and Chinese cuisine. On our walk through the market place and up the mountain further we ran into one of past participants from the previous summer season truly a small world we live in!

Then we met up with I-Wen (former AAG employee), she's doing very well and looks so happy!  She spent the day with us and acted as the best AAG ambassador for our trip!

Tripping: Meet Locals during your stay in the U.S.

Tripping is a hospitality network for travelers who want to meet local people. It's safe, free and good for the world. The following is an interview with Anis Salvesen, marketing manager, who gives us an insider’s look at Tripping.

Tell us a little about Tripping
Tripping is a social travel site that connects travelers with local people for tips, shared cups of coffee and home stays in over 175 countries. On Tripping there are micro communities called 'Networks,' for organizations ranging from nonprofits to universities and associations (like the National Peace Corps Association). There's actually an Alliance Abroad Group Network, which members can use to meet up and stay with other AAG Network members around the globe. https://www.tripping.com/network/alliance-abroad

We'd love to hear the story of how you first became involved with Tripping. 
I first became involved with Tripping as an intern. I was attracted by the idea of joining a startup that focused on making the world a better place through cultural exchange. I also really liked the Tripping team and immediately realized that I wanted to be a part of it. That was a couple years ago, and it's been exciting to watch our community grow and be part of that growth.

What are a few of your favorite Tripping stories?
Ooh that's tough because I have quite a few. So I'll just go with some examples from the past couple of weeks. Last weekend my husband and I met up with a Tripper from Israel that we had hosted last year. We had taken him to our favorite taqueria in the Mission (in San Francisco) and he loved it so much, he wanted to go back. So he messaged me to ask me the name of the taqueria and we ended up meeting him for tacos and beer. We had a great time catching up, and my husband and I have an invitation to visit him in Israel. One of my friends I met through Tripping (she's from London but we met in Barcelona) wrote me a gushing email last week about her experience hosting her first Tripper since moving to her new flat. The young woman she hosted was a professional singer from the U.S.who had spent the last few months working as a singer in Southeast Asia. They went out with a group of her friends to a salsa bar and practiced their Spanish over dance moves and Cuban mojitos. Another friend I made via Tripping spent the last couple years as an expat in South Korea and is currently traveling around Asia. She was recently in Nepal, where she met up with a local Tripper and attended a traditional Nepalese wedding in the Tripper's wife's village. Those are my recent personal stories. As far as stories of Trippers in general, I was struck by the story about the Trippers who were stranded by the first Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that disrupted air traffic in Europe who were rescued by a Tripping host. How cool is that? I also loved the story of a group of Trippers from Spain who visited NYC for the first time this past summer and connected with a local Tripping host who took them to their first baseball game and shared the views of Manhattan from his amazing roof deck.

What has been the most surprising/inspiring experience you've had at Tripping?
I've had a number of inspiring experiences. One that comes instantly to mind is a connection I first made with a Tripper via the Tripping Facebook page. She posted a comment to our Facebook page and when I clicked over to her website, I realized she was a Danish woman who has dedicated her life to inspiring other disabled people to travel. She joined Tripping (https://www.tripping.com/blog/blog/2011/11/03/tripper-of-the-week-kirsten-kester/) and we've exchanged quite a few messages through Tripping and chatted via Skype several times. She is on my growing list of Trippers around the world I absolutely must visit.

How can one get involved with Tripping?
Participating in the Tripping community is easy. Just sign up and you'll be part of a growing community of people around the world who are interested in cross-cultural experiences. They'll give you travel tips, show you around their city, meet you for dinner at their favorite local restaurant and even host you. And via the Alliance Abroad Group Network on Tripping, you can start connecting with other members of the AAG community around the world. Just click here.