We understand that brainstorming cultural activity ideas can be overwhelming and sometimes difficult, especially when a Host Employer’s busy season is ramping up, customers are pouring in, and J-1 visa participants are busy learning their new jobs! Spirit Cultural Exchange wants cultural activity planning to be simple and pleasant for you and your team, so we have gathered information from our best experts on the topic: our thousands of past participants! Below is a list of the top 10 Host Employer planned cultural activity ideas enjoyed by our participants.
We hope this list will help you take the guess work out of cultural activity planning for your next J-1 season. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for more tips from Spirit Cultural Exchange in our NEW blog series featuring cultural activity planning pro tips from our expert staff, our experienced Host Employers, and our many happy J-1 visa participants!
10 Most Popular Employer Hosted Cultural Activity Ideas (as Reported by Thousands of J-1 Visa Participants)
1. Food Is Always a Favorite
After 23 years of listening to our J-1 visa participants’ cultural activity feedback, Spirit Cultural Exchange can confirm that food IS still one of the best ways to your participants’ hearts! For many participants, the novelty of classic American food is fun. Others just appreciate the comfort, connection, and community that comes with sharing a meal or a treat with new friends. Below are a few examples of popular food-based cultural activity ideas your participants will enjoy:
- Participant Pizza Party
- S’mores Night
- Visiting a classic hot dog stand or roasting hot dogs around a fire
- A trip to a local ice cream parlor
- Donuts and coffee in the breakroom
- Potluck Gathering
- Employee dinner at local restaurant
- American Snack Taste Test or Survey
- Local Treat Sampler Night
- Employee BBQ
2. American Sporting Events for the (2nd Place) Win!
Many J-1 visa participants always rave about the unique experience of attending an American sporting event, such as a local baseball game or nearby football match. Taking your participants to a local sporting can be an inexpensive and easy way to introduce American culture to your group. Spirit Cultural Exchange loves hearing from excited participants who just learned the rules of baseball or experienced their 1st time ordering a hot dog in the stands at a sporting event!
3. Don’t Forget Local Tours, Museums, and Landmarks
J-1 visa participants always enjoy visiting local landmarks, historical sites, and cultural attractions in their new area. Walking around a local museum or even participating in a free tour of a state park can help participants get acquainted with their new area and provide a glimpse of American history and culture. Quirky local landmarks and unique sights in your area can provide an affordable and uncomplicated way to offer participants a meaningful cultural experience.
4. Community Events – Share the Local Flare!
Many towns and cities offer free or inexpensive farmers markets, outdoor concert series, festivals and seasonal celebrations. J-1 visa participants report enjoying the simple aspects of these cultural activity ideas, such sampling local foods, people watching and interacting with people of other cultures. You can probably already think of some local events or ongoing community activities in your area, but if not, check your community website, chamber of commerce, or tourism board for event listings.
Don’t forget the many seasonal events your community offers! Many J-1 visa participants have never experienced American holiday celebrations such as Independence Day!
5. Host a Sporty Employee Game or Outdoor Activity
J-1 visa participants rave about friendly sporting competitions or outdoor games hosted by their Host Employers. Organizing a day for playing outdoors and learning new games like flag football, volleyball, or frisbee can be a simple way to get your participants excited, promote camaraderie, and offer them a glimpse into a popular American pastime. Even participants who choose not to play the game mention enjoying learning a new American game, keeping score, and rooting for their favorite teams! Some Host Employers organize after-hours water volleyball tournaments for their Lifeguard teams, while others get their American staff involved by planning an employee flag day or Olympic event complete with prizes.
6. Help J-1 Visa Participants Find Free or Low-Cost Local English Lessons
Many J-1 visa participants report to Spirit Cultural Exchange that their English skills have vastly improved by the end of their programs. This is often due to skills learned on the job but can be greatly enhanced by English lessons! Some Spirit Cultural Exchange Host Employers have helped their participants grow their language skills by partnering with local community centers, churches, and libraries who offer lessons or English language clubs. This can be a great ongoing cultural activity for participants and oftentimes doesn’t involve much upfront planning for Host Employers. Host Employers can facilitate this cultural activity by arranging transportation, sharing lesson location and schedule information, and encouraging team members to join the fun.
Bonus points if Host Employers can encourage their American staff and managers to periodically ask participants what they are learning in their English lessons and help them practice their new conversational skills!
7. Bring Your J-1 Visa Participants on an Outdoor Adventure (and Help Them Find the Best Local Selfie Background!)
J-1 visa participants always enjoy visiting the natural areas, local parks, and scenic destinations with their friends and Host Employers. We receive hundreds of participant selfies every year, featuring the stunning scenery surrounding them during their programs. Planning a group hike at a nearby nature reserve or even a scenic drive can help your participants get to know their new area and appreciate the natural beauty that brings so many visitors to your area year after year! Don’t forget to tell your nature-roving participants to send Spirit Cultural Exchange their photos! These photos also help Spirit Cultural Exchange show future participants how special your area is to live and work!
8. Put Together a Multi-Cultural Night
Hosting a multi-cultural night where J-1 visa participants can learn about each other’s lives “back home” and can include a variety of fun cultural activity ideas to enrich relationships and build cultural enrichment for your whole team. Host Employers can facilitate this activity by arranging a space and date for the get-together to take place and encouraging participants to get involved.
Once you have planned your event, you can ask your participants or team to bring a special recipe or a prepared dish to share or ask them to come dressed in the style of their country. Encourage participants to tell stories and pictures of their country or home, play a language game or create a group collage or personalized maps to hang in the breakroom.
A wide range of fun multi-cultural activity ideas can also be found online, and be sure to ask your participants if they have suggestions for fun cultural exchange games or activities!
9. Set the Scene with an American Themed Movie Night
J-1 visa participants enjoy movie nights because they can be a relaxing way to interact and get to know their peers and Host Employer while enjoying the widely appreciated cultural phenomenon of American movies! Movie nights work for groups of all sizes and do not require much Host Employer set up besides providing a comfortable space for the group to view a movie and providing a few snacks such as popcorn or candy. You can invite participants a week or two in advance and could even let participants vote on the movie’s selection!
10. American Shopping Excursions Definitely Count as Cultural Experience!
If you are a Host Employer who provides occasional trips to the grocery store or shopping center to your J-1 visa participants, then this one should be easy for you! Many Spirit Cultural Exchange participants report that that they enjoy visiting American shopping outlets and even trips to Walmart with their Host Employer, and Spirit Cultural Exchange conquers: American shopping can be a fun and interesting cultural experience worth sharing with your team! A shopping trip is a practical opportunity for Host Employers and participants share a uniquely American experience while allowing your participants to stock up on personal items and favorite products!