At the Wisconsin State Capitol, our participants absolutely loved photographing the architecture and learning about U.S. government. They were amazed by the impressive room decor and little details throughout the building – like a starfish fossil on one of the stairwells. Our tour ended with a visit to the Observation Deck to view the surrounding city landscape.
Afterwards, we took a short walk to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Our participants were given a pre-loaded dining card and enjoyed a tasty lunch break at the Student Union.
Following lunch, we took a self-guided tour of the University’s campus. As we walked through the campus, we discussed similarities and differences of educational systems in the USA and the students’ home countries. We viewed lecture halls, explored the University’s botanic garden, strolled through the main quad, and visited the lakefront. On the second day, the students really wanted to visit UWM’s student store, so we made a quick shopping stop.
On our drive home, students discussed planning a return trip to Madison to explore more of the downtown. Our groups were dropped off at their housing both days.
After the first day, Chelsea and I attended "Thanks-O-Ween," an event in the Wisconsin Dells hosted by the local J-1 consortium. Students were given the option to dress up for Halloween, try traditional Thanksgiving food, and participate in fun games. The crowd favorite was a donut eating contest, similar to bobbing for apples. There were many exchange visitors and local community members present, including 45 Spirit participants.
Chelsea and I joined some students in a free visit to the nearby attraction, the Lab Rat Maze. Students could also visit the Ghost Outpost and Lost Temple attractions for free. It was a great event, and we enjoyed seeing the power of the Wisconsin Dells community in creating a memorable experience for their cultural exchange visitors.
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