Spirit colleagues Madison and Rameca traveled to Northern Michigan July 22nd – 25th and visited 11 of Spirit’s Host Employers and got to meet about 47 participants from 8 different countries!
It was so fun to visit the beautiful and welcoming area of Northern Michigan! Driving by Lake Michigan and visiting all the cute towns in the area, it is no wonder our J-1 participants have such a great time in Michigan! On their first 2 days in the area, Madison and Rameca got to visit with many participants in Thompsonville and the Glen Arbor area while they were working at their jobs. It was very cool to see them in action and enjoying their programs. While talking to them, they discovered that the participants love going to different beaches and watching the sunset on their days off. Many of them have also tried new food at work, and they had mixed reviews about American food so far.
On their third day, Madison and Rameca held a pizza party in a local park for participants in the area. 15 participants were able to come, and some even stopped by on their lunch breaks from work. It was a very busy summer day! It was very fun to have more time to speak with participants and hear about their experiences. Some participants met each other for the first time, and quickly became friends! Madison and Rameca found out that quite a few participants are planning to travel to Chicago once their programs end, so they were giving them advice on their favorite activities to do in the city.
Madison and Rameca visited 2 more Host Employers in Charlevoix and Bellaire, met amazing participants, and had some delicious food on their final day before going home. They had pizza and a sandwich made by participants who were very proud of their work, which made it taste even better! They drove along the lake for a lot of their ride, and wished they could stay longer to see more towns and local sites.
Overall, it was a great trip meeting participants who are having an enjoyable summer, as well as the host employers who are so supportive of them. Michigan is such a beautiful and welcoming state, with so many events and activities to explore. Spirit cannot wait to go back!