By Taylor Kay, Senior Director for Work and Travel, with contributions from Greenheart staff
Isn’t it funny: if you’re a student and it’s May or June, you say “ahhhhhh summer is finally here!” No more pencils, no more teachers, that sort of thing. If you run a seasonal business, that sense of relief arrives in September or October. All of a sudden, you can breathe again, you can take more than one day off in a row and maybe mow the lawn
We understand this and that’s why we are so grateful to host organizations that make time for a sponsor visit. This summer Greenheart visited participants and hosts in 20 states – what we call Going Greenheart Tours (GGHTs). These allow us to see the Greenheart mission – to connect people and planet, prepare tomorrow’s leaders and of course allow cultural exchange – in action, and to connect with our stakeholders in local communities. What follows are snippets from seven trips this summer – events and interactions in Alaska, California, Massachusetts and elsewhere – that amazed our staff.
Story 1: Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, visited by Renee Clarke, Senior Account Manager, Host Relations, and Marcus Wright, Manager, Placement Services
Let’s start at the beginning – the beginning of summer. Meeting participants in their first days on program, fresh off the plane, is truly special. At the Shedd Aquarium‘s comprehensive orientation in May, Marcus and I were inspired by our participants’ ambitions, eagerness for personal self-development and excitement to dive into our shared City of Chicago.
To capture those first impressions and illustrate the power of international exchange, we invited participants to write postcards to Illinois legislators who have demonstrated vocal support of BridgeUSA Programs. A participant from Turkey wrote:
This summer I am excited to experience:
- Working at the famous Shedd Aquarium
- Try some good meals
- Learning to adapt to new cultures and meet with new people from all around the world here in Chicago
Story 2: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California, visited by Nick Berry, Host Relations Account Manager.
Arriving to Santa Cruz as a first-time visitor, the California sun was shining, and the Boardwalk was abuzz with excitement for Memorial Day weekend and the official kick-off to summer. Participants from the spring were wrapping up, looking like experienced veterans, while others, like me, were checking in for their first experience at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The staff was so welcoming, their hands on approach steadied us after long flights. A great day touring the Boardwalk and seeing the participant experience culminated with an invite to the arrival day pizza party and mixer. What a cool, casual way to settle into a California summer adventure!
While I couldn’t have been more impressed by the welcoming nature of the staff, supportive approach of managers, and organized process for newbies like me, the opportunity to meet participants and hear about their experience first-hand is what reminded me of the importance of exchange programs. It was also a reminder that we each take away something different from these experiences. Estefany had built lifelong friendships with her coworkers in the kitchen, including her head chef, highlighting the personal impact of exchange. Tanatad, AKA Captain, showed off his new skills making and serving food to Boardwalk guests. A clear rockstar, his manager beamed at what a stellar addition he had been. And Ricardo, the epitome of California cool – he immersed himself in the local culture and had adopted a true American vibe rooted in three short months in Santa Cruz.
Story 3: Turtle Town in Keystone, South Dakota visited by Tom Stillwell, Senior Manager, Host Relations
Visiting Turtle Town was a highlight during my long road trip around South Dakota this summer. The three Turtle Town candy/ice cream shops are situated around the Keystone/Black Hills area and serve up a seemingly endless variety of sweet treats. I was greeted by big smiles whenever I walked through the door with our exchange visitors being very happy working at Turtle Town. The real treat for me was watching the participants interact with customers, with genuine warmth shining through each conversation!
Story 4: Seward, Alaska visited by Kathy Coleman, Host Relations Account Manager; Josh Reafsnyder, Manager, Program Support; Jeremy Reynolds, Coordinator, Placement Services
While in picturesque Seward, our team had been communicating with our area hosts to ask about potential cultural activities for participants to enjoy in their free time. The Harbor 360 Hotel reached out and offered one of their tours aboard Major Marine tours. A day in the Kenai Fjords at no cost? Yes, please!
One of our participants at Once in a Blue Moose, Li from China, was eager to attend and his energy made fast impression. While waiting on the docks, Li explored with us the cultural differences between China and Alaska, our common likes and dislikes, his favorite parts of the United States (the food being a large highlight albeit oversugared), and the unexpected and unique beauty of the Alaskan landscape. Li was outgoing, excited, very funny, and said that the friendliness and openness of Americans will be what he remembers most.
Li and Josh spent the late morning and afternoon out on the Fjords enjoying its many glaciers, sea life and wildlife – an experience that neither will soon forget.
Story 5: Homer, Alaska, also visited by Kathy Coleman, Josh Reafsnyder and Jeremy Reynolds.
From Sea Stars to Scoops: A Day of Cultural Exchange on the Homer Spit
Moving on from Seward to Homer, Alaska, we joined 12 Work and Travel participants, five members of the public and the wonderful staff from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, for a Creatures of the Dock tour on the Homer Spit.
Getting Hands-On with Alaska
Together, we leaned over the docks, reached into the waters of Kachemak Bay, and discovered the incredible marine life hiding just below the surface. With guidance from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies team, participants got a hands-on introduction to the coastal ecosystem; touching, observing, asking questions, and getting an up-close look at creatures most had probably never encountered before.
And because Alaska apparently wanted to show off a little, there were even sea otters swimming nearby!
One of the best parts of the excursion was proximity to the genuine curiosity and excitement of our participants. For one who has traveled all the way from Kazakhstan to spend a summer in Alaska, holding one of Kachemak Bay’s marine creatures isn’t exactly an everyday experience; that is precisely what cultural exchange is all about.
A Close Encounter with Kachemak Bay
The Creatures of the Dock experience gave our participants an opportunity to discover an entirely different side of their summer home. They weren’t simply seeing Alaska from the shoreline; they were interacting with it, learning about the ecosystem from local educators and experiencing firsthand some of the incredible marine life that makes this part of the country so special.
But we weren’t ready for the day to end when the tour was over.
After leaving the docks, we took everyone out for ice cream and a leisurely meander along the famous Homer Spit. We stopped at local businesses, explored the shops, talked, laughed, and simply enjoyed spending time together without a schedule to keep.
Between ice cream, colorful storefronts, conversations, and the unmistakable scenery surrounding us, the afternoon became an opportunity to experience Homer not just as a work destination, but as a community.
Supporting small businesses was an important part of the outing, too. Our participants aren’t only temporary employees in the communities where they spend their programs. For several months, they’re also neighbors, customers, visitors, and members of those communities. Experiences like this give them a chance to interact with the people and places that make their host community unique and to experience a little genuine Alaska hospitality along the way.
Story 6: Poconos, PA visited by Renee Clarke, Senior Account Manager, Host Relations, on Exchange Day
Other Greenheart Blog posts focused on the amazing connections felt across the US to celebrate the power of cultural exchange on Exchange Day 2026, but Renee Clarke had a special experience bringing Exchange Day fun to Kalahari Resorts & Convention Center – Poconos. Here is a recount of the action:
Greenheart and the Human Resources team at Kalahari lead Minute-To-Win-It Games proving laughter is internationally recognized!
Participants from a variety of sponsors and multiple countries enjoyed tasty treats while also coming together to make cards for children in long-term hospital situations.
As if this event was not full enough, participants expressed their gratitude to Pennsylvania Legislators for their support of BridgeUSA Programs. These postcards spoke volumes on their experiences, goals and brief, but powerful reflections on what the Work and Travel opportunity provided.
One special moment for me was being able to reunite with Tessa from Algeria. During the 2025 Greenheart Global Leaders Conference, we visited Pennsylvania’s Representative Scott Perry in Washington D.C. Tessa shared:
Words can never be enough to say Thank You for all this. Thanks to this Program, I am that person I always wanted to be, sharing culture and enjoying the USA.
Story 7: Water Country in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, visited by Taylor Kay, Senior Director for Work and Travel
As a parent, I have been to a lot of amusement parks and water parks over the years. Often by late August, it’s clear by their glazed looks that for staff it’s been a long summer. Burnout has set in and they are itching to move on to whatever they do when the park closes for the year. That emphatically was not the case at Water Country waterpark, located on the New Hampshire Seacoast. Though it was one of the last operating days of the year, I found a team that was relaxed yet attentive. They were enjoying each other’s company as they conducted their duties in aquatics, park services and guest relations. I saw the GM spring into action when a toddler left a trail of napkins across a plaza – and a Work and Travel participation jumped in right next to him to help.
Two things impressed me as I toured the park:
- Three Work and Travel participants had been promoted to Team Leads in their first summer at Water Country. For clear reasons: I quickly sensed in Milena, Ronel and Yeudy, all from the Dominican Republic, a sense of ownership. This was their park. Another employee from Jamaica, George, was busy doing extra maintenance tasks (he sprang up to repair a picnic table that we sat on to talk).
- The easy rapport between the HR Manager and employees. Kara’s candy bowl invites employees to stop in for a few words in the morning. Similarly, she has discovered “Free food is key” to boost turnout for educational sessions and employee events. To alleviate any emergencies, Water Country issues each participant a “J-1 card” with the parks’ contact information, so they can be ready to help.
It was August 20 and the water slides were to remain open into the evening for the annual employee celebration, along with pizza, a huge volume of cupcakes and a raffle of gift baskets. The same employees who I encountered just a couple hours earlier so attentive and focused turned into kids again. They were set loose go on the slides with no lines and able to let their hair down without guests around.
It all fits. Skarlet, another guest relations staffer from the DR, said, “I see Water Country and it is like my family now.” For Tumur, a Mongolian lifeguard, said it started on day one. “When I got here, the people were so nice. They were so friendly, like lot of people, they just randomly smiled at me, and it was very surprising.”, For Yeudy, one of those had been promoted to Team Lead, the people of the United States were the biggest surprise. “The people are very nice to me. They’re very friendly, they helped me a lot.” Exactly what I sensed they were giving in return even here in the dog days of August.
Wow, what a summer! Collaborating in cultural and volunteer events with our host employers, visiting participants while they work and witnessing all that local communities do for BridgeUSA – it allows us as a visa sponsor to reflect on our own global impact – and provides motivation for next year!
Thank you, everyone, for such a positive update on GGHTs! We also thank and appreciate our host organizations for hosting our Work and Travel participants and offering them incredible opportunities for cultural enrichment and growth.
If you are a business who would like to host international seasonal staff for a cultural exchange, please visit HirewithGreenheart.org to learn more.
To learn more about Greenheart’s Work and Travel program visit GreenheartExchange.org.