🙌 INTRAX CELEBRATES EXCHANGE DAY!
Whether you've studied abroad, met an international student, or dreamed of backpacking through a distant country, it's undeniable that these experiences bring incredible learning opportunity and help humanize our perceptions of places and people. Exchange Day is a worldwide celebration of the power of international exchange.
Since its inception in 2014, the annual Exchange Day celebration brings Exchange Visitor Program participants and hosts together to #EatPlayGive as they participate in organized community service projects. Intrax is proud to administer many different Exchange Visitor Programs and, after two years of significantly limited program operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Intrax was thrilled to host traditional in-person Exchange Day events this year!
Exchange Day has provided the opportunity to raise awareness of cultural exchange programs and to spread the word about the many ways in which people and communities benefit from people-to-people diplomacy. The day aims to celebrate, share and express the significance of cultural exchange through 3 key themes - Eat, Play, Give. - to share cultural diversity, have some fun, and give back to host communities.
The Intrax-organized events took place alongside many celebrations across the nation, in partnership with other Exchange Visitor visa sponsors and the Alliance for International Exchange.
⛱️ San Francisco Beach Cleanup
Intrax's main event was a beach cleanup in our San Francisco headquarter area. More than 40 volunteers came together to collect trash and debris from a public beach. Attendees also learned about ocean conservation and reducing plastic pollution with a presentation from Boxed Water.
Kaitlin Sinclair, Vice President of Intrax Work Travel, a program that allows international university students to spend their summer working in seasonal U.S. destinations (and one of the largest Exchange Visitor Programs) commented on the significance of Exchange Day as she participated in the San Francisco beach cleanup:
This Exchange Day event is the perfect opportunity to harness and celebrate the purpose of cultural exchange programs while also celebrating the diversity within our very own teams.
💌 Washington D.C. Cards for Ukrainian Families
Intrax's AuPairCare program participants and host families came together in Washington, DC, to make cards for Ukrainian children and families. Representatives from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs attended to support the event and engage with Exchange Visitor participants.
Kristin Friedman, Director of Program Services at AuPairCare, shared her enthusiasm for the event:
The Exchange Day celebration was a success! It was fun for all of us to engage in person. Our work really matters and has a rippling impact on folks around the world!
🎥 Video Highlights of Intrax Exchange Day Events
Multiple events occurred across the U.S. and, for the first time ever, Intrax went international with Exchange Day as the recently acquired AmeriCamp UK office hosted events in Manchester, England.
From a food drive and beach party in Branson, Missouri; to donating school supplies and enjoying Olympic-style games in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; to a city cleanup and potluck in Manchester, England; It's evident that the passion and commitment to cultural exchange programs is strong!
Check out the video below for highlights of how Intrax supported Exchange Day events this week.
⭐ Interested in getting involved with Exchange Day next year, or want to host an Exchange Day event? Exchange Day occurs on the first Monday in August. Watch for updates from the Alliance for International Exchange and start planning your event now! As Exchange Day approaches, you'll be able to submit details about your event directly to the Alliance's Exchange Day website.
